Follow the Signs
by Knope.We.Can
Summary: "I mean, I'm a single mom, with a five-year-old son who also happens to be deaf and I work two jobs. But, you know, I'm fine." Beca's social worker asks her to take sign language classes. Beca doesn't think she needs sign language classes. That is, until she meets the adorable redheaded teacher. Eventual Bechloe. Multi-chapter. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: And here we go again! A few bits of housekeeping first. 1) Everything italicised is what is said in sign language. 2) I don't know sign language, so I don't know how possible these conversations are :P It's another case of suspension of disbelief with me again :) If I get something drastically wrong then please call me on it.**

**Also, check out my tumblr! massivedrickhead . tumblr . c om**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters **

* * *

"So, how have you been, Beca?" Gail, Beca Mitchell's social worker asked her one afternoon.

"Fine," Beca replied, fiddling with the cuffs of her shirt. "I mean, I'm a single mom, with a five-year-old son who also happens to be deaf and I work two jobs. But, you know, fine."

"How is Sam doing?" She asked, smiling at the little boy who was colouring in, kneeling up at the coffee table.

"He's great," Beca said, smiling now.

"The reports from his school say he's doing really well," Gail said.

"The kid's a genius," Beca said.

"Mama," he said, holding up his drawing.

_Good job, buddy,_ she signed to him.

_Mama, draw with me,_ he signed back.

_Mama's talking, Sammy._

"So, I see you still haven't taken any lessons in sign language," Gail said, looking down at Beca's file.

"I don't need it," Beca said.

"Look, you're doing great with Sam."

"I know," Beca said, an edge to her voice.

"But because you're raising him alone, everything you do, or don't do, can be held against you," Gail said.

"So what are you saying? If I don't take sign language classes, I'll lose my son?"

"Of course not," Gail said, with a sigh. "But there are some people who are expecting you to fail at this, Beca. And the fact that your son is deaf, means they're going to be watching you a bit more closely."

"Who? Who are these people watching me in case I fail?" Beca's voice was slightly raised now. Sam was still colouring in, happily, unaware of the argument that was breaking out.

Gail sighed again. "Okay. I'll level with you. My boss has been following your case for a while. He's had doubts about you from the beginning, and I know he's looking for a reason to have you under stricter supervision."

"Why?" Beca's voice was quieter. "Is it because of what happened when he was born?" Sam seemed to sense a change of atmosphere and he looked up. He saw his mom with her head in her hands. She looked upset. He got up and toddled over, tugging at her shirt. She scooped him up and he kissed her on the cheek, before sitting down on her lap. He felt her kiss him on the top of the head.

"I know it was a long time ago, but it's still on your record. I'm fighting your corner, Beca, but all he has to do is make the argument that you're too busy working to find time to learn how to properly communicate with your son, and then things will start getting difficult," she said. She could feel Sam watching her. He had messy brown hair, the exact colour of Beca's, but beneath a pair of glasses, were dark brown eyes, totally different to her blue ones.

"So if I take these classes, your boss will get off my back?" Beca asked.

"For now, yes," she said. She handed Beca a card. "There's a class at the college run by a couple of really nice girls. You never know, you might actually enjoy it."

"Fine," Beca said with a sigh, resigned. "This still feels totally pointless."

"I know," Gail said. "Just look at it as an opportunity to spend some time that isn't here or your jobs."

"Or, I could see it as time that I could be working or spending with my son, wasted at a class for something I already know how to do," Beca said. Gail stood to leave, and Beca walked her to the door of her tiny apartment.

"I'll see you again next month," she said, waving goodbye to Sam, who waved back, grinning at her. "Also, you're looking a little thin. Make sure you're feeding yourself as well as Sam."

"See you Gail," Beca said, rolling her eyes before closing the door.

She picked up Sam again, and sat him on the edge of her kitchen counter.

_Do you have to go to work again tonight?_ he asked her.

_Yes. Sorry, buddy_, she replied.

He frowned. She kissed his forehead.

_I love you_, she signed.

_I love you too._

* * *

She arrived home at 2am after her shift at the bar.

Sam was tucked up in bed, sound asleep.

Her neighbour and best friend Stacie was asleep on the couch. She smiled and shook her head. She didn't know how many times she had told Stacie just to use her bed, but the tall brunette never did. Beca didn't want to wake her, so pulled the blanket that hung on the back of the couch so it was covering her.

She snuck into Sam's room and sat on the floor, her back resting against his bed as she watched him sleep. She fell asleep there, and didn't wake until she heard the sounds of Stacie making breakfast in the kitchen.

"You don't have to do that," Beca said, rubbing her eyes as she entered the kitchen/living room area of the apartment. "You already give up your Saturday nights so you can babysit Sam. You don't have to make breakfast for us too."

Stacie just shrugged, smiling. Secretly, she knew if she didn't make breakfast, that Beca wouldn't make herself any. She had a habit of only cooking Sam meals, and neglecting herself.

"How was your shift?" Stacie asked, handing her a coffee.

"Same old," Beca replied. "How was Sam?"

"Good as gold, as always," Stacie said.

Beca hadn't been able to believe her luck when she moved into the apartment building, and discovered that the girl living across the hall from her could do flawless sign language. She had had an almost instant connection with Stacie, and they had been close friends from day one. She was like a sister to Beca, and Stacie felt the same.

* * *

One week later, Beca was running from her day job as a waitress in a coffee shop, to the community college for her first sign language class.

She burst through the door out of breath.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, leaning against the door, trying to get her breath back.

"I think you may have the wrong class," a blonde woman standing at the head of the class said. Her arms were folded disapprovingly across her chest. "Tattooing for beginners is down the hall."

"Aubrey!" the redheaded woman next to her said, chastising her. "Are you hear for the sign language class?"

Beca nodded, thinking of one sign she'd like to show the blonde.

"Awesome," the redhead said. "I'm Chloe, this is Aubrey. Take a seat, everyone was just introducing themselves."

Beca sat in one of the empty seats towards the back of the room. She couldn't help but notice how pretty Chloe was, and how gross she must look, still wearing her work uniform.

"So, yeah, like I was saying," an Australian girl near the front said, "my name is Fat Amy, and I wanna learn sign language because I think it would be a good addition to my interpretive dance. So far it's just some mermaid dancing but I wanna expand on that."

She was met with a confused silence.

"Okay..." Aubrey said. "You, with the ear monstrosities, what's your name, and why are you here?" She gestured to Beca. Chloe shot Aubrey an angry look before her attention fell on Beca again.

"Uh, I'm Beca," she said. "And I'm 21."

"And why do you want to learn sign language, Beca?" Aubrey asked, her tone clipped.

"So I can pick up a wider range of guys," Beca said, rolling her eyes. She didn't like the way Aubrey spoke to her, and wasn't about to start telling her her life story. A few of the girls in the class laughed and Chloe looked like she was suppressing a grin.

After that, Chloe and Aubrey showed them some basic greetings, and they were all asked to stand up and demonstrate them.

Aubrey, who thought it looked like Beca wasn't paying any attention, picked on her first.

Beca stood up, and signed:

_Hello, my name is Beca. And you're kind of a dick._

Aubrey looked like she was about to puke.

Chloe looked like she might crack a rib from trying not to laugh.

"Everyone... Into pairs... Practice the greeting..." She said, barely containing her anger.

Chloe made a bee-line for Beca.

"There's an odd number of you," she said, pulling up a seat in front of Beca's desk. "So I figured we could partner up." She was oddly drawn to the small brunette, and she couldn't quite explain it.

_Sounds good to me_, Beca signed, wanting to demonstrate how pointless this all seemed to her.

"You're good," Chloe said.

_I know._

"But you're not perfect," Chloe said, grinning at her. "You're a little sloppy."

"Sloppy?" Beca said.

"Yeah. It'd be like someone talking to you with a really thick accent. You can kind of get what they're saying, but it's difficult," Chloe said. Beca sat back in her chair, surprised.

"Can you help me get better?" She asked, the cockiness from her voice gone, replaced by concern. She was staring down at the desk, her hands fiddling with her pen.

"Of course I can," Chloe said. "If you tell me why you're really here," she added with a smirk. Beca's eyes flicked up. "I'm kidding," she said. Beca gave her a small smile. "I have a feeling this class may be too easy for you." Beca looked disappointed at her words.

"The advanced class costs more money," she said, her voice full of quiet embarrassment.

"Then how about I just teach you? I mean, you would still come to class and everything, but while everyone else does the basics, I help you tidy up a bit?"

"Uh, yeah. That'd be good. Thanks," she said.

"I think we're gonna be really fast friends, Beca," Chloe said.

"Yeah," Beca said, smiling. "Me too."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

_**Pain like Beca had never felt before was coming in waves, crashing through her stomach. She was doubled over, clutching the sofa.**_

_**"Mom," she said, tears pooling in her eyes. Her mom was sitting in her arm chair. She raised a bottle to her lips and took a generous gulp of the vodka inside. "Mom," Beca said again "I need to go to the hospital."**_

_**"So take the car," her mom said, her voice devoid of emotion. "Unless you want me to drive you." She swallowed more of the alcohol.**_

_**"The baby's coming, I need help."**_

_**"It's your own fault for being such a little whore," her mom said. "You got yourself into this mess."**_

_**Beca didn't reply. She went into her room, and packed as much of her clothes as she could into a bag, as well as all the supplies she had managed to get for the baby.**_

_**"Where do you think you're gonna go?" Her mom asked as she came back into the living room, halted by another wave of pain. "You're 16. You've got nowhere to go."**_

_**"I'll figure it out," Beca said, forcing herself to take deep breaths. "But I'm not coming back here. Drink yourself to death for all I care."**_

_**She slammed the front door behind her. She knew she'd never make it to the hospital, plus, she didn't have insurance. The free clinic was near by. If she could keep the pain under control, she could make it.**_

Beca was woken up by Sam, gently shaking her, tears pooling in his eyes. She switched the bedside light on, glancing at the clock which read 3:00am.

_Bad dream buddy?_

He nodded, his bottom lip quivering.

_Come here_. She opened her arms, squeezing him into a hug before she pulled back the sheet and patted the space beside her, letting Sam climb into the bed and cuddle into her side. She kissed the top of his head and played with his hair until he fell asleep again.

She was tired. She couldn't remember the last time she wasn't tired. But she knew there was nowhere on Earth she'd rather be.

* * *

"You're almost getting it," Chloe said during their third sign language class. "You've just got to angle your hands a bit more." She took Beca's hands and guided them. "Yeah, like that." Chloe didn't drop her hands. Instead her thumb brushed across a tattoo on her wrist. "Who's Sam?" She asked, reading the tattoo'd name.

"So, show me the next bit," Beca said, pulling her hands away, not looking at Chloe.

She wasn't sure why she was so reluctant to reveal this part of her life to Chloe. She definitely felt like Chloe was someone she could trust, but there was something holding her back. They were slowly building a tentative, cautious, friendship. She liked her. A lot. The redhead was sweet and made her laugh. She ignored the part of her brain that kept thinking about just how pretty she was. When she smiled at her, she felt her stomach do flips.

"Do you wanna go and get a drink after this?" Chloe asked Beca as the class began wrapping up. "Some of the other girls are coming."

"I can't," Beca said, checking her watch. "I've got to get home."

"Maybe next time then," Chloe said, clearly disappointed. "Here," she handed Beca a scrap of paper with her number on it. "If you want any extra classes or... Or if you want to hang out, text me."

"Thanks," Beca said, smiling. "I'll see you guys next week," she added to the rest of the girls, all of whom were staring, eyebrows raised.

"What was that?" Aubrey asked as soon as Beca had left. "'Extra classes'?"

"Yeah Red," one of the students Cynthia-Rose, said. "Are you trying to hit that?"

"No," Chloe said. "Just being friendly."

"You've never offered me extra classes," Fat Amy said, grinning.

"For serious, Chloe, what is going on? I think you're spending too much time with her in class," Aubrey said, pulling Chloe aside. "We have a whole class of people that you're just ignoring."

"Look, she's actually really good at sign language, but she's sloppy. And she can't afford the advanced class so I said I'd help her. It seems really important to her that she gets better," Chloe said, ignoring the look of fury in Aubrey's eyes.

"And has she even said why it is she wants to learn?" Aubrey asked.

"No," Chloe admitted. "But it must be something important."

"I'm sure it is," Aubrey said, rolling her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Get your head out of your ass, Chloe. It's not a hat," Aubrey said.

"Are you two coming for a drink or what?" Amy asked, sensing an argument was about to break out.

"Actually, I don't feel like it," Chloe said. "I'll see you all next week."

* * *

"Where's my little boy?" Beca said, grinning as she entered her apartment.

Stacie tapped Sam on the shoulder and gestured to Beca. He squealed excitedly and opened his arms for her to pick him up, which she did.

"You're getting too heavy for this," Beca said, even though Sam couldn't hear her. "I've missed you." She sat him on the kitchen counter as she made his sandwiches for school the next day.

"How was class?" Stacie asked. "That cute redhead still giving you extra help?"

"Yep," Beca said, grinning. "Wait, I never said she was cute, how do you know she's cute?"

"I didn't," Stacie said, smiling mischievously, "but know I know you think she's cute." Beca groaned.

_Your mom has a crush_, she signed to Sam who giggled.

"What did you just do?" Beca said, her eyes narrowed.

_Mommy has a crush_, Sam signed.

"Dude," Beca groaned again.

_Mommy does not have a crush. Aunt Stacie is being silly._

Sam giggled again. Stacie held her hand out and Sam gave her a high-five.

"I don't like this conspiring thing," Beca said, grinning despite herself.

_Bed time, mister. Say goodnight._

He signed goodnight to Stacie, who replied the same way.

"Okay, I gotta go," Stacie said. "I have a gentlemen friend coming over and I need to do a little maintenance."

"Dude, too much information," Beca said, shuddering as she picked up Sam. "I'll see you tomorrow night, then?"

"As always," Stacie said, smiling and blowing Sam a kiss.

"Have a good night," Beca called as she carried Sam into the bedroom.

He brushed his teeth and changed for bed and then kissed Beca on the cheek before she tucked him in.

_Love you, Sammy_, she signed, ruffling his hair.

_Love you too._

* * *

Chloe was sitting in her room when she heard Aubrey return that night. She was still cross with the blonde, so didn't go out to see her like she usually would. She heard a light tapping on her door.

"Come in," she said.

Aubrey turned the handle and entered.

"Are you still pissed at me?" She said. The swearing caught Chloe off-guard slightly. It let Chloe know that she was slightly drunk.

"No," Chloe said, not wanting to start an argument.

"Good," Aubrey said. "For the record, I'm sorry. The girls pointed out that I might have been a bit harsh."

"And you actually listened to them?" Chloe asked. Aubrey just shrugged.

"So, are we cool?"

"Yeah, we're cool," Chloe said, smiling slightly. "Go to bed."

"Yes mother," Aubrey said, closing the door.

Chloe looked down at her phone, and felt a slight pang of disappointment that Beca hadn't text her.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I love love love you all!**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

_Mama are you working again tonight?_

_Yes. Sorry Sam._

The little boy huffed and pouted.

He watched as his mom dashed around the room, shoving things into her bag whilst trying to do her hair.

"Okay, I gotta go," she said to Stacie.

_Gimme a kiss, buddy._

Sam shook his head.

Beca stopped, and crouched in front of him.

_Why?_

_If I do, then you'll leave._

Beca sighed.

_I have to go._

Sam covered his eyes with his hands, turning away from her. He knew she'd never left without saying she loved him. And if he couldn't see her, she couldn't say it, so she wouldn't leave.

"Come on, buddy. Don't do this," she said, more to herself, knowing he couldn't hear her. "I love you." She kissed the top of his head and then left, her heart aching.

Sam dropped his hands, looking around the apartment.

He looked up at Stacie who gave him a sad look.

_You wanna play a game before bed?_ she asked him.

He shook his head.

_You wanna call your mom?_

He nodded.

* * *

Beca was a few minutes away from the bar where she worked when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket, she saw that Stacie was calling her.

"Hey, what's up? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Becs, everything is fine. Sam wanted to say something," Stacie said.

"Mama I love you," he said, shouting slightly. Beca smiled, closing her eyes briefly. He didn't speak very often, preferring to sign if he was communicating with someone. Beca loved hearing his voice.

"I love you too," she said. "Stace, tell him I love him too. And that we can do whatever he wants tomorrow."

"I will," Stacie said, laughing.

Beca's heart felt a little lighter as she walked through the doors of the bar.

* * *

It was 9pm and the bar Aubrey and Chloe walked in was still reasonably quiet. Aubrey got a table in the corner, and Chloe went to the bar to order their drinks.

"Hey, what can I get you?" Beca asked, still clearing up the spillage from the previous customers.

"Beca?" Chloe said, shocked to see the small brunette behind the bar.

"Chloe!" Beca said, equally surprised. "How are you?"

"I'm good, thanks. So, wait, you work here? I thought you worked at that coffee place at the college?"

"Yeah, uh, second job," Beca said, shrugging, trying to seem casual. "So what are you drinking?"

"Vodka and coke and a vodka and cranberry, please," Chloe said, still taken aback.

"You wanna open a tab?"

"Yeah, please."

Beca got her the drinks. Chloe took a sip of hers as she waited for Aubrey's.

"Is this a double?" She asked. Beca gave her a wink.

"Don't tell my boss," she said, smiling at her in a way that made her stomach do flips.

Chloe returned to her table with the drinks.

"Is that Beca?" Aubrey asked.

"Sure is," Chloe said, grinning as she sipped her drink again.

"She works here as well as the coffee place?"

"Yep. Two jobs, she said," Chloe said.

"So she has two jobs, and she still can't afford the advanced signing class?" Aubrey asked, drinking her drink. "Chlo' you got me a double."

"Beca made you a double. She did not charge us for a double. And can we please have one night when you're not super suspicious of everything Beca does?"

"Fine," Aubrey said, her eyes still narrowed towards the brunette behind the bar. "But only because she gave us free alcohol."

For the rest of the evening, Chloe would go up to get the drinks, spending longer and longer at the bar each time.

Beca was enjoying her shift for the first time in ever as she watched the redhead get steadily drunker.

Towards the end of the night, Chloe had been sitting at the bar for twenty minutes talking to her, much to Aubrey's annoyance. The blonde eventually joined Chloe at the bar, as the bar emptied around them.

"Beca," Chloe said, her head resting on her arms as she watched the smaller girl, "why won't you tell us the truth about why you're taking our class?"

Beca hesitated.

"I don't like talking about my personal life much," she said, her voice quieter than it had been. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Chloe said. "I'm sorry I keep asking, I'm just a super curious person."

"Yeah," Beca said, smiling again, "I got that."

"Bar's closing ladies, I'm gonna need my barmaid back," Luke, Beca's British boss said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

Chloe and Aubrey paid their tab and they left.

"See you in class next week," Chloe said on her way out, her eyes lingering on the brunette.

An hour after closing, Beca's shift was finally over and she could go home. She was exhausted. She knew she'd only get three or four hours sleep before she was woken up by Sam, so she was eager to get home and go to bed.

As she pulled on her coat she felt Luke put his hands on her waist.

Beca closed her eyes as he began kissing her neck.

She was tired.

Beyond tired.

But she couldn't deny that Luke kissing her felt good.

Except, this time as he kissed her, thoughts of red hair and blue eyes kept fighting their way into her head.

"Can we go to your place?" He asked, as his hands began slipping under her shirt.

She'd usually say no, but she wanted Chloe out of her head.

"Okay," she said, kissing him back as he lent in again.

This had happened before.

Twice a month, they would end up closing up the bar together, and Luke would make his move.

The first time he did it, she silently freaked out. The last time she'd had sex she ended up pregnant with Sam. But she didn't protest. And he didn't realise she wasn't comfortable. And they did it in the bar cellar.

The second time, the same thing happened.

This would be their sixth time together, and Beca had almost begun considering it part of her job. She didn't know if he did it with any of the other barmaids, and she didn't really care.

She didn't want a relationship with him.

So she used him for the brief intimacy she got from their encounters.

He drove them back to her apartment, and they began kissing again as soon as the door closed. Beca was relieved when she saw that Stacie wasn't sleeping in the living room.

She pulled him towards the couch as she began unbuttoning his shirt.

"We have to be quiet," she whispered between kisses.

"Why?" He said, laughing slightly. "Your kid is deaf, right? We can be as loud as we want."

Beca stopped kissing him.

Stopped taking off his shirt.

"What?" He said.

"Get out," she said, her voice quiet.

"Oh come on, it was a joke," he said, rolling his eyes at her.

"It wasn't funny. You don't talk about my kid," she said.

"Are you serious right now?" He asked. "Look, I'm sorry. It was just a joke, I didn't mean anything by it."

"Please, Luke," Beca said, starting to feel upset. "I want you to go."

"Fine," he sighed. "I'll see you at work next week then."

"Yeah," she said, not looking at him.

He slammed the door as he left, and Beca felt herself start to cry.

A sleepy Stacie came out of Beca's room.

"I tried not to listen," Stacie said, sitting down beside her on the couch, before buttoning up Beca's shirt. "He's a jerk."

"I know," Beca said. "I don't know why I keep doing this."

"Maybe you're lonely," she said, putting her arm around her friend. "You spent all your time either working or looking after Sam."

"Yeah," Beca said, letting Stacie dry her eyes with her sleeve. "Sorry we woke you."

"Don't be silly," Stacie said. "Go to bed, I'll sleep out here."

"You just spent the night looking after my kid," Beca said. "I'm not letting you sleep on the couch."

"Then come with me?" Stacie said. Beca raised her eyebrows.

"Do you remember what happened the last time we shared a bed?"

"I'll make a safety wall of pillows this time," Stacie said, smirking. "You won't wake up with me spooning you, I promise."

"Okay," Beca said, "but if I wake up with your hands anywhere near my tits, we are going to have a problem."

"Come on, Becs, I'm not even that way inclined. If I was, we'd be married already," Stacie said, pulling Beca up from the couch. Beca laughed.

"Thanks for cheering me up, Stace," she said.

"Any time. Just promise me you're going to ask out Chloe and ignore fuck-boy from now on."

"Well fuck-boy is my boss, so I can't ignore him, and I'm 1000% sure that Chloe has no interest in going out with me," Beca said, changing for bed as Stacie averted her eyes. "But I can promise I won't be fucking fuck-boy any more."

"Well, that's a start."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey buddies, here's chapter 4!**

**Also, sorry if some of you find these chapters too short. I don't really pay attention to the word count, I just write until it feels like the chapter has come to a natural end (or I have a good cliffhanger) and sometimes they can be a bit short, sometimes they're longer. It's just how I work. I try not to make them too short but if I try and cram more words in, the writing gets sloppy and you all deserve quality over quantity so that's what I aim for :)**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

_**"Can you help me, please?" Beca asked, arriving at the free clinic, clutching her stomach.**_

_**"Kid, you should be in a proper hospital," a slightly stunned nurse said, helping Beca into a wheelchair.**_

_**"Are you going to drive me?" She asked, squeezing her eyes shut as the pain threatened to overwhelm her.**_

_**After what seemed like hours of screaming and pain, a tiny, crying, baby boy was placed in Beca's arms.**_

_**She gasped slightly as she looked down at him. He stopped crying immediately, and focused his familiar brown eyes on her.**_

_**"Hey buddy," she said, her voice a whisper.**_

_**"Does he have a name?" The doctor asked.**_

_**"Sam," she said, not taking her eyes from him.**_

_**His eyes had never left hers. It was almost like he could sense how scared she was. How little she knew what she was doing.**_

_**Her fear and overwhelming love were battling inside her as if to see which one could suffocate her first.**_

_**The doctor placed a hand on her shoulder.**_

_**"You'll be fine," she said. "Can we call anyone for you? Your parents?"**_

_**Beca shook her head. "There isn't anyone," she said.**_

_**"Do you have a place to stay tonight?"**_

_**"No," Beca said. "I kinda ran away from home."**_

_**"I have to go and make a call," she said.**_

_**She had a bad feeling.**_

_**"I've contacted a social worker," the doctor said when she returned. "She's going to talk to you about your situation."**_

_**"Is she going to try and take Sam?"**_

_**"No," the doctor said, not entirely convincingly. "She wants to help you."**_

_**She waited until the doctor had left her to get some rest, before she threw her clothes back on. She pulled her bag onto her back and wrapped Sam up in a blanket.**_

_**"Let's get out of here, buddy," she said, kissing his forehead.**_

_**She made a break for it.**_

_**She was half-way home when fatigue and worry and began seeping in.**_

_**Sam had started crying, and she was in a fair bit of pain.**_

_**She stopped walking and sat on a bench, trying to stop Sam from crying.**_

_**What am I doing? she thought. I can't bring him home. I don't know how to change him. Feed him. I can't do anything. What kind of life can I give him?**_

_**She looked down at the face of her son.**_

_**"I have to take you back," she said, tears splashing down her face. "I can't keep you."**_

* * *

_You're shoe's untied, buddy._

_Can mama do it?_

Beca crouched down on the sidewalk. "Mama can do it," she said to herself, as she tied his shoe.

_Thank you._

_Mama's got wet jeans now._ Beca gestured to the wet circles on her knees. Sam giggled

She kissed his cheek before standing again, taking his hand as they carried on walking.

When Beca asked what he'd wanted to do that Sunday morning, he said to go to the park and then go for a burger. The fact that it was raining made him want to go out more.

As he held her hand, he went out of his way to jump in every puddle, laughing every time.

* * *

"Chloe, it's raining, can you walk a little faster?" Aubrey said, as they headed for the diner which served their favourite hangover food.

"It's not my fault your car broke down, so now we have to walk," Chloe said, clutching Aubrey's arm as they walked under their shared umbrella.

"But it is your fault that you walk like an old lady," Aubrey said.

"'Bree, is that Beca?" Chloe said, pulling them to a stop, a few feet from the diner.

"You see her everywhere, you're obsessed," Aubrey said, rolling her eyes. "Oh, wait, that totally is Beca. With a child."

* * *

Beca entered the diner and she and Sam sat in one of the booths in the corner. She took off his raincoat and pulled a towel out of her bag, quickly drying off his hair so he wouldn't catch a cold.

_Looking good buddy._

He giggled, running his hands through his damp hair and spiking it up. He took off his glasses, which had steamed up when they walked into the warm diner, and tried to dry them on his jumper.

Beca heard the tinkle of the bell above the door that let her know other people had entered the diner, but she ignored it.

Instead she smirked at her little boy, and took the glasses from him, cleaning them properly before putting them back on his face.

_Very handsome._

He giggled again.

"Hi Beca," Chloe said. Beca's head whipped around, and her eyes were momentarily wide from shock. Sam followed her eye-line and looked at the two women.

"Hi," Beca said. Sam instinctively clutched her arm. He had always been a little apprehensive of strangers. She turned to him.

_It's okay buddy. They're nice._

He looked at them, chewing his lip in the same way Beca did when she was nervous.

"This is my son, Sam," Beca said, a hint of resignation in her voice as her personal life was finally exposed. "Do you guys want to join us?"

_Hello,_ Chloe signed to the little boy still clutching Beca's arm. Sam seemed a little surprised she could sign so well. _I'm called Chloe, I'm teaching your mom sign language. Is it okay if my friend Aubrey and I sit with you?_

Sam turned to Beca who smiled and nodded at him. He nodded at Chloe.

_I'm called Sam._ He held out his hand, and Chloe shook it. Aubrey did the same.

"So," Chloe said, as they sat across Beca and Sam. "I take it we've just met the reason why you're in our class. And why you work two jobs."

"Yep," Beca said, ruffling Sam's hair as he looked at the menu. "All for him."

The waitress came over and they all ordered. Beca ordering a burger and fries for Sam, with a coffee and a juice. Chloe ordering pancakes and bacon, and Aubrey ordering a salad.

"You're not ordering?" Chloe asked Beca.

"I finish his leftovers," she said, pulling his colouring book out of her bag along with some crayons, stopping him from getting bored and restless while they waited for their food. "His eyes are way bigger than his belly."

"He's so cute," Chloe said. "How old is he?"

"Five," Beca said. "He's a little shorty though, like me." Sam tugged on her sleeve and pointed to his colouring.

_Good job, Sammy._

He grinned before he carried on, his tongue sticking out of his mouth through concentration.

"So you must have been really young when you had him," Aubrey said. Chloe shot her a look.

"Uh, yeah, I was sixteen," she said running a hand nervously through her hair. "And I've basically raised him on my own ever since."

"It seems like you've done a really good job," Chloe said, giving Aubrey another furious look.

"How come it's taken you this long to take a sign language class?" Aubrey said, slightly unaware she might have been coming across as rude.

"Aubrey!" Chloe said. "Why are you giving her the third degree?"

"What? I'm just curious," Aubrey said.

"It's okay," Beca said. "I taught myself how to do it. I didn't have a babysitter, and I didn't want to spend the money on classes. My social worker advised me to take your class to tidy everything up. So I did."

Once their food arrived, the conversation got a little less serious, and Beca felt herself relax again.

Chloe watched with a smile as she interacted with her son. Beca seemed more happy and comfortable than she'd ever seen her.

She watched how, every so often, Sam would tug at her sleeve, and she'd take a fry from his plate and eat it. Sam seemed to be acutely aware that his mother wasn't eating, and he wanted to fix it.

_I'm full_, he signed with a few fries and half a burger left.

_Not too full for ice-cream though, right?_

_I think I have room for ice-cream._

_Good,_ Beca laughed, finishing his food.

"Can you guys watch him for like a minute while I use the bathroom?" Beca asked.

"Of course," Chloe replied.

_I gotta go to the bathroom. Will you look after these nice ladies for me?_

He nodded.

_Can I see your colouring in?_ Chloe asked him, leaning across the table.

He nodded again and picked up the book from the seat, handing it over.

_These are very good_, Aubrey signed, actually impressed by how meticulously he coloured within the lines.

Sam watched them for a few minutes.

_Which of you does my mommy have a crush on?_

Both women froze.

_What was that?_ Aubrey signed.

_Aunt Stacie said mommy has a crush on her teacher._ He looked at them both again. _I think it's you_, he pointed at Chloe, who immediately blushed.

Aubrey had to stifle a laugh.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

_**Beca hovered outside the hospital, hidden slightly by the trees that surrounded it.**_

_**She looked down at the little boy in her arms.**_

_**"I'm sorry," she said, her tears slipping down her face. "But you wouldn't be happy with me. Someone is going to be able to look after you much better than I can."**_

_**Sam started crying again.**_

_**"Shh shh, it's okay," she kissed his forehead. "You're going to be fine. You're going to have a mom and dad who love you, and can provide for you. You're gonna have such a great life. You don't need me." She held him against her, closing her eyes.**_

_**She was so tired and the pain was getting worse.**_

_**She forced herself to stand and she made her way back to the clinic.**_

_**The closer she got, the worse the pain was.**_

_**She ignored it. She carried Sam into the clinic and found a spot where he would be safe. She kissed him, before putting him down.**_

_**"I love you," she said.**_

_**Everything inside Beca broke as she took her first step away.**_

_**She kept telling herself she was doing the right thing.**_

_**That Sam would be better off without her in his life.**_

_**She could feel something running down her leg, and looked down to see blood had soaked through her jeans.**_

_**She kept on walking, feeling light headed. Gut-wrenching sobs threatened to over power her.**_

_**She felt like she'd left a her heart behind.**_

_**As she walked through the parking lot, the pain peaked and her legs buckled. She blacked out before she hit the ground.**_

* * *

"So that teacher you like met Sam then?" Stacie asked Beca that evening, after Sam went to bed.

"I don't li-"

"Don't even bother finishing that sentence."

"Fine," Beca said, rolling her eyes as she dropped onto the couch beside Stacie. "But yes, she met Sam. And he seemed to really like her."

"Did she like him?" Stacie asked, smirking at the way Beca seemed to smile as soon as she talked about her.

"Of course," Beca said. "Everyone likes Sam. She was great with him."

"Oh god, ask her out already!" Stacie said, exasperated.

"Do we have to have this conversation every time we hang out?" Beca asked, groaning.

"We will have this conversation every day until you ask her," Stacie said.

"You're a jerk," Beca replied.

"I just don't get why you won't ask her."

"Because I have no time for a girlfriend," Beca said. "I work six days a week. Every spare minute I have is either with Sam, or at that sign language class. Plus, she wouldn't be just dating me, she gets Sam in that package too. Why would she sign up for that?"

"Okay," Stacie said, holding up a finger, "one, she teaches said sign language class. So you'd be together then, and it only runs another four weeks anyway." She held up a second finger. "Two, she knows how to communicate with Sam. Big plus point. Three, she's totally into you, and you're awesome, so why wouldn't she sign up for that. And four, you have a shit tonne of money in the bank. You don't need to work every hour under the sun."

"That money is to pay for Sam's school fees, which aren't cheap, and so he can go to college. I'm not wasting it so I can work less," Beca said.

"I know you want what's best for Sam. I know you want him to have the kind of childhood that you didn't have. But maybe working yourself to death and having no social life isn't what's best for him. I think he'd rather his mom was happy," Stacie said, her voice softening.

"I am happy," Beca said, her voice betraying her slightly. "I am," she added, more firmly. "All I want is for him to be happy and healthy. And he is. I don't need or want anything else."

"It's not a crime to want a little intimacy Beca," Stacie said.

"I don't want intimacy," she replied.

"So why do you have sex with Luke every two weeks?" Stacie asked, knowing she was on thin ice. But she was tired of watching her best friend ignore her own life.

Beca didn't answer, she just sighed and sat back on the couch.

"Things were going great," she said, with a quiet voice. "I had my routine, and I didn't want anything else. Now... Now I can't get this girl out of my head. And I don't know what I'm basing it on, we haven't even hung out outside of class. There's just something about her. I just don't see how she'd be into me."

"You don't know how great you are, Becs. But it sounds like she does," Stacie said. "Okay, I've gotta get home and go to bed."

"You can crash here if you like," Beca said, yawning and stretching.

"I live across the hall, Beca," Stacie said, rolling her eyes.

"You crashed here last night."

"It was 3am and I was in my pyjamas and you needed a cuddle buddy," Stacie said.

"I never need a cuddle buddy," Beca said. "And we didn't cuddle."

"We cuddled a little," Stacie said.

"Half-asleep cuddling doesn't count."

"It totally does," Stacie said. "Anyway, night Mitchell. Don't stay up too late."

"Night," Beca said. "And thanks. Again."

After Stacie left, Beca checked to see if Sam was still sleeping, before changing and crawling into bed.

She picked up her phone and hesitated for a second, before deciding it wasn't too late and typing out a text.

**Beca: Hey. It's Beca. From class. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tomorrow?**

She hit send before she could chicken out.

A few minutes later, her phone buzzed with a reply.

**Chloe: Beca! You finally texted me! I'd love to hang out, what do you have in mind? xx**

Beca's face broke into a smile.

**Beca: Well we could go out. Or you could come over here? Whatever you wanna do. x**

**Chloe: How about I come over and you can cook me dinner? P.S. What kind of hanging out are we talking about here? Because, if you've taken notice of any of my hints, then this would be a date. But so far, you don't seem to have taken notice of my hints ;) xx**

Beca swallowed hard.

Her stomach was suddenly full of butterflies as she tapped out a response.

**Beca: A date sounds pretty good to me. But it would be better for all of us if I didn't cook, and just ordered a pizza. Unless you like dinosaur shaped nuggets with peas? xx**

**Chloe: As romantic as dinosaur nuggets are, pizza sounds great. xx**

**Beca: Shall we say 7pm? xx**

**Chloe: It's a date! x**

* * *

Beca spent the next day at work a nervous wreck. She felt like she was on autopilot as she served coffee to the tired, stressed out, over-caffeinated students. Before she knew it, it was almost 3pm, and she was rushing from the coffee shop to Sam's school.

She got there just as the school let out. She spotted Sam signing with a boy who looked around his age, only taller. They were both laughing about something, and it made Beca happy to see her son so at ease and happy.

"You're Sam's mom, right?" Another mother asked her.

"Yeah," Beca said. "I'm Beca."

"I'm Jordan's mom, Melissa," she said, gesturing to the boy with Sam. "I just wanted to say thank you."

"Thank you?"

"Jordan's new to the school, and I was really worried about him fitting in. But Sam's been so friendly to him. He seems to have really taken him under his wing," Melissa said, waving at her son.

"Well that's awesome," Beca said, feeling a rush of pride. "But he's the one you should thank."

_Hey buddy,_ Beca signed when Sam approached. _You ready to go?_

He nodded. She held out a hand for him to take.

_Not in front of Jordan. He doesn't hold his mom's hand._ Beca laughed and ruffled his hair.

_Okay, but stay beside me, don't run off._

_Okay._

As soon as they were away from the school, Sam slipped his hand into Beca's. She smiled and squeezed it.

A few hours later, Beca was helping him with his homework whilst trying to get ready for her date with Chloe.

_Mommy, you're dressed fancy._

_Because I'm wearing a clean shirt and jeans? How do I normally look?_

_Like mommy._

_And is that not fancy?_

_No,_ he giggled.

_Well I'm dressed fancy because that nice lady Chloe is coming over._

_Oh. Okay. I liked her._

He returned to his homework.

At 7pm, there was a knock at the door, and Beca felt her heart jump into her mouth.

She smoothed out her shirt and then answered.

Chloe was there, smiling with a bottle of wine in her hand.

"Hey," she said.

"Hi," Beca said, her mouth drying up at the sight of the beautiful woman in front of her.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey buddies, sorry for the delay on this.**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

Beca and Chloe finished the wine before the pizza had even arrived.

Beca was looking in her kitchen for something else to drink while Chloe wandered around the living room, looking at the many photographs. She noticed they were all of herself and Sam, or just of Sam on his own. She wondered how long Beca had been on her own for.

"Okay, so we have juice boxes, or milk," Beca said, with a laugh. "Let me run across the hall and see if Stacie has some wine."

Beca returned in a few minutes with two bottles. Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"She's just very excited we're doing this," Beca said, topping up hers and Chloe's glasses.

"She's not the only one," Chloe said, sitting back down on the sofa. "So, where were we?"

"You were calling me cute, I think," Beca said.

"Hmm, I don't remember that," Chloe said, smirking.

"You definitely said it," Beca said, also grinning. "Or was it super hot that you said?"

"That must have been it," Chloe said. "Now, I think you were telling me about when Sam was a baby."

"Right," Beca said, taking a drink of wine. "So, we don't really know when he started losing his hearing, but it was totally gone by the time he was one. I remember stealing a book on sign language out of the library, and teaching myself it. It took me years. He started going to a specialist school for the deaf when he was three, and they taught him sign language there. He picked it up straight away. He's a really clever kid, not sure where he got that from." She gave a small laugh.

"So you've like totally raised him by yourself then?" Chloe asked. "No help from his dad or your parents or anything?"

"Nope," Beca said. "The last time I saw Sam's dad was when I told him I was pregnant. He was my high-school boyfriend, and we had sex once. I told him and the next day, he moved to another state to live with an uncle. I think his parents followed after a few weeks. They were the kinda rich, upper class, easily scandalized family. And I was like the opposite of that. And as for my parents, my dad took off when I was six. The only contact I've had was him transferring $10,000 into my bank account, providing I didn't try and contact him again. He never even asked what Sam's name was. And I last saw my mom on the night I gave birth. I don't know what happened to her, but she was a pretty bad alcoholic, so I don't think it ended well."

"So what did you do when you gave birth? You were only sixteen," Chloe said, clearly gripped by Beca's story.

Beca hesitated.

"Are you sure you want to hear this? I don't think it's a great first date topic," Beca said.

"I want to hear it," Chloe said, taking Beca's hand. "I want to know you properly."

"I feel like I've been talking about myself all night."

"We'll talk about me later," Chloe said.

Beca began telling Chloe of the night Sam was born. Her voice caught in her throat as she spoke about leaving him in the clinic. She paused, trying not to cry at the memory. Chloe squeezed her hand.

"Okay?"

Beca nodded. "Sorry," she said. "It's not easy to talk about."

"Don't apologise," Chloe said, wondering how many times Beca had told this story. Beca took a deep breath before starting again.

_**Beca woke up in a bed in the clinic, confused and disoriented. She tried to piece together what had happened.**_

_**"How are you feeling?" A voice asked her. She turned and saw a blonde women sitting beside her bed, holding a baby in her arms.**_

_**"What..."**_

_**"They tell you to rest after you give birth for a reason," the woman said, smiling softly. "You lost a bit more blood than you should have, but you're okay. I think you left someone behind when you left, though. I'm Gail, by the way. I'm a social worker."**_

_**"Is Sam okay?" Beca asked, still feeling exhausted.**_

_**"He's fine, but he misses his mom, I think," Gail said.**_

_**"I can't take care of him," Beca said, her voice strained. "I can't take him back to that house. He deserves a proper childhood."**_

_**"He deserves to stay with his mom. That's what he wants."**_

_**"I've got nowhere to go. I don't have any money," Beca said, crying now.**_

_**"Do you want to keep him? That's the most important question," Gail said.**_

_**"More than anything," Beca replied.**_

_**"Then we can help, Beca. For now, just hold your son," Gail said, holding him out for Beca to take. She didn't move.**_

_**"Am I going to get to keep him?" She said, her voice quiet.**_

_**"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that he'll stay with you," she said. Beca nodded before taking him from Gail. She felt her heart break again at the thought of leaving him.**_

_**"I'm so sorry," she whispered, kissing his head.**_

Beca impatiently wiped the tears from her eyes after she finished talking. She caught Chloe doing the same.

"Gail arranged for us to stay with a foster family for a month or so, while she tried to make contact with my dad. Once he gave me the money, I got my own place. I lived off that until Sam was old enough for school, and I got a job at the coffee place. When I turned 21 this year, I started working at the club. Stacie from across the street had a deaf mom growing up, so she knows how to sign and she offered to look after Sam so I could work Saturday nights," Beca said, finishing her story. "I still have a good chunk of the money left, which I'm saving so Sam can go to college."

"Have you ever tried to make contact with Sam's dad? Or your mom?" Chloe asked.

"Nope," Beca said. "I don't need them."

"It must have been tough raising Sam alone when you were just a kid yourself," she said.

"Yeah, especially when it was hard to communicate with him. Luckily he's such a well-behaved kid," Beca said. "Now, enough about me, I wanna know about you. How come you ended up teaching?"

"Well my older sister Jessica is deaf, and we were inseparable growing up. I always knew I wanted to teach but I didn't like the idea of working in a elementary or high-school. Those places are hell. Then Jessica suggested I teach ASL. I mentioned the idea to Aubrey who I met in college and she said we should do it together and do like a night class for adults. So we did. We've been doing it for like three years now," Chloe said, topping up their wine again.

"Well you guys are really good teachers. You especially," Beca said. "And you're cute."

"Beca, are you getting drunk?" Chloe asked, smirking at her.

"No," Beca said, grinning too. "But if this pizza doesn't arrive soon, I'm gonna be on the floor."

"Yeah, where did you order from? Italy?" Chloe said, checking the time.

"Apparently so. If this goes on any longer, I'm making us dinosaur nuggets," Beca said.

Ten minutes later and the pizza finally arrived, and the women sat in a comfortable silence as they easily polished it off.

"Man, you cannot feel sexy after eating pizza," Beca said leaning back on the sofa.

"I didn't think it was possible, but you still look sexy after pizza," Chloe said.

"You don't look so bad yourself," Beca said, taking Chloe's hand and gently pulling her closer.

"Beca Mitchell, are you about to make a move?" Chloe asked, feeling her heart beat a little faster.

"Maybe," Beca said, biting her lip. "How would you respond to me making a move?"

"That's a risk you're going to have to take," Chloe said, inching closer.

A split-second before their lips met, Beca heard crying from Sam's room. She instinctively pulled away from Chloe and turned her head in that direction.

"Go," Chloe said with a smile.

"Sorry, he gets nightmares some times," Beca said. "I'll be as quick as I can."

"Don't be silly," Chloe said.

Beca entered his room and flicked on his night light. She sat close to him, so he'd be able to see her signing without his glasses on.

_You okay? Another bad dream?_

He nodded, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

_Okay._

She checked under his bed, out his bedroom window, and in his cupboard, reassuring him that there were no monsters before she sat on his bed, her back against the wall. He climbed onto her lap and cuddled into her. She ran her hand up and down his back as she felt him calm down and fall asleep again. Normally, she would have stayed all night, eventually falling asleep herself, but she knew Chloe was in her living room, waiting. She carefully eased Sam from her lap and tucked him back into bed, leaving his night light on.

She returned to the living room, relieved to see Chloe was still smiling.

"Is he okay?" Chloe asked.

"He's fine. Just a bad dream," Beca said, sitting back down. "Where were we?"

"Well, I was about to do this," Chloe said, before pressing their lips together.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry for the delay and sorry this is kinda short. **

**But I'm super happy with life right now and hopefully there is enough fluff in this chapter to make up for the length :P**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

Beca spent the next few days in a happy daze that she wasn't familiar with. Not even dealing with ungrateful customers or her bad tempered boss could get her down.

Sam noticed it too. He watched her preparing his dinner one night. She was happier, there was no question about it. He watched as she danced slightly in the kitchen, her lips moving, saying something he couldn't hear.

Maybe she's singing, he thought, laughing slightly as he watched her from the kitchen table.

She turned to see him laughing, and grinned at him, before scooping him up and sitting him on her hip as she danced around the kitchen.

"Okay, and what is going on in here?" Stacie said, letting herself in as she usually did.

"Just having a dance," Beca said, sitting Sam on the counter. She grabbed Stacie's hand, pulling her into the kitchen before dancing with her too.

"Have you finally snapped and lost it, Mitchell?" Stacie, asked, unable to stop herself from grinning.

"Just enjoying life, Stace," Beca said.

"Is this because you finally got laid by someone you actually like?" Stacie asked, finally being released so Beca could carry on cooking dinner.

"I did not get laid, I just had a very nice date," Beca said. Making sure Sam couldn't lip-read what she was saying.

"Which ended in...?"

"Ten minutes of making out," Beca said, grinning even harder. "And the promise of a second date, tomorrow night. This time, at an actual restaurant."

"Which is why you're inviting me over for dinner because you want me to babysit?" Stacie said.

"Yes please," Beca said, piling food onto three plates.

Stacie watched with a smile as Beca helped Sam from the table before putting down the food, and then sitting with her own plate for once.

"Okay," Stacie said. "But just so you know, this cheerfulness is unnerving."

"Noted," Beca replied.

* * *

The next day, Beca was once again faced with a stressful day at work. After dropping Sam off at school, she hurried to work, only to be confronted by a group of obnoxious freshmen who had taken over a corner of the shop.

"Can't we kick them out?" Beca asked Benji, the other barista.

"Not when they're drinking their body weight in coffee we can't," he said with a sigh as he went over to clean another spillage.

They stayed there for Beca's entire shift. As her finishing time approached, she went to clean up their empty cups.

"Are you done with that?" She asked, pointing to a cup half filled with cold coffee.

"Yep," the guy said, popping the 'p'. She took the cup and added it to the tray. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "Hey you wanna tip?"

"Sure," Beca said, hesitantly.

"Get a better job," he said, before flipping the tray from her hand, sending cold coffee everywhere, covering the front of Beca. The guy's friends started laughing and high-fiving as Benji kicked them out.

Beca checked her watch and groaned. If she stayed to clean up, she'd be late to pick Sam up. If she left, she'd have to walk down the street covered in coffee, plus she'd be leaving Benji to both clean up and serve on his own. If her boss found out she'd done that, she'd be fired for sure.

"Beca, go, I've got this," Benji said, coming over.

"I can't leave you to do this," she said. "It'll take me two minutes."

Fifteen minutes later than she usually left, Beca was hurrying out of the coffee shop.

"Shit shit shit shit," she muttered, walking as fast as she could towards Sam's school.

* * *

Sam was sitting on the kerb, his teacher near by, as they waited for Beca. He looked around nervously.

His mom was never late.

Chloe was walking past his school, and caught his eye.

_Hey Sam. Remember me?_

He nodded.

_You're Chloe._

_Why are you sitting here on your own?_

_Mama's late picking me up._

Chloe frowned slightly. She looked up at his teacher.

"Can I wait with him?" She asked. His teacher nodded, keeping a careful eye on them.

Chloe pulled out her phone and sent Beca a text.

**Chloe: Waiting with Sam at the school. Hope everything's alright? xx**

Beca, who was almost full out running, sent a rapid reply.

**Beca: Got covered in coffee at work. Be there in two minutes xx**

An extremely out of breath Beca arrived at the school gates a few minutes later.

"So... sorry..." she said, trying to get her breath back.

_Sorry, buddy,_ she signed when she felt she could use her hands again. _Got caught up at work, are you okay?_

_I thought something bad had happened_, he replied, his bottom lip quivering the way it did whenever he was about to cry.

She kissed him on the head and squeezed him into a hug.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, more to herself.

He felt the vibrations of her speaking and felt comforted, not needing to know what she said.

"You okay?" Chloe asked when they stood up and began walking back.

"Yeah," Beca said, embarrassed by her appearance. "Just a nightmare of a day."

"If you want to cancel-"

"I don't want to cancel," Beca interrupted, almost too eagerly. Chloe grinned at her.

"Me neither," she said. "I have to run home and make myself pretty."

"Should take you 30 seconds, right?" Beca said, smirking.

"Smooth, Mitchell," Chloe winked, before kissing her on the cheek, and walking towards her apartment.

Sam was looking up at her, a puzzled expression on his face.

You remember Aunt Stacie is looking after you tonight?

He nodded, still looking slightly confused.

_She kissed you_, he signed eventually. _But she's a girl_.

_That's right_, Beca said, not expecting this conversation. _Girls can kiss girls. Boys can kiss boys. Boys can kiss girls._

_Okay,_ he said, smiling again, seemingly satisfied with the conversation.

A few hours later, there was a knock at the door, and once again Chloe was standing there, looking stunning.

"Pick your jaw up Becs," Stacie said from the living room.

"Thank you for that, Stacie," Beca said, cringing.

* * *

"So, are you having a nice time?" Chloe asked as they finished off their desserts.

"The best time," Beca said, swallowing a mouthful of ice cream and immediately getting brain freeze. "Oh," she said. "That was dumb." Chloe laughed. "Are you having a good time?" She asked, her face still slightly contorted.

"Mhm," Chloe said, slowly eating whipped cream from her spoon.

"That's not fair," Beca said. "You can't do the sexy cream eating thing after I've just inhaled a bowl of ice-cream."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Chloe said, innocently.

Beca jumped slightly as she felt Chloe's foot moving up her leg.

"Everything okay?" Chloe asked.

"We should get the bill," Beca said, her voice strained. "My place is empty, if you wanted to come for coffee?"

"Sounds like a plan," Chloe said, reaching into her bag for her purse.

"I've got this," Beca said.

"No, you got the pizza last time," Chloe said, "I've got this."

"Chloe, pizza is like ten bucks," Beca said.

"Either I pay for this, or you don't get to see what underwear I have on," Chloe said, raising her eyebrows.

Beca swallowed.

"Okay," she said, putting her purse away in defeat.

They were heading out of the door, Chloe's arm around Beca's waist, when they bumped into someone.

"Sorry," Beca said.

"Hi Beca," a British voice replied.

"Luke," She said, shocked.

"Haven't seen you in a while," he said. "I should have called after last time. I'm sorry about what happened."

"It doesn't matter," Beca said, eager to leave. "I'll see you at work tomorrow."

"And... after? I hope I haven't ruined things between us," he said, totally ignoring Chloe.

"There isn't an us," Beca said, moving away now. She felt his hand close around her upper arm.

"Don't forget who your boss is, Beca," he said in a low voice.

"Touch her again," Chloe said, pulling his arm off, "and you'll regret it. Come on Beca." She took her hand and lead her away. "Okay?"

"Yeah," Beca said. "What he said... We don't have a relationship. We had a sort of fling I guess, but I ended it ages ago."

"It's okay, Beca," Chloe said, squeezing her hand. "He's a jerk. Even if he is sexy and British."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Enjoy chapter 8! Please keep those reviews coming in :)**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

Beca kept her distance from Luke during her next shift. She could feel him watching her as she walked but she tried to ignore it.

As she was clearing some broken glass from the bar, she felt the familiar feelings of his hands coming to rest on her waist.

"What are you doing?" Beca said, her voice betraying the unease she felt.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Luke said, bringing his lips to her neck.

* * *

"Chloe, it's 2am, what are you doing up?" Aubrey asked, rubbing her eyes wearily as she walked into the living room.

Chloe was sitting on the sofa, anxiously chewing at her nails. Aubrey batted her hand away from her mouth as she joined her on the chair.

"Beca said she'd text me when she finished her shift, because she's working with that tool again," Chloe said, checking her phone for the hundredth time. "She hasn't text me yet."

"Beca's a big girl, Chloe," Aubrey said, stifling a yawn. "She probably just forgot."

Chloe shook her head. "She promised me. I'm going to drive down there."

"You're kidding? Chloe, for serious?" Aubrey asked, wide-eyed as Chloe began pulling a coat and shoes over her pyjamas.

"Yes," Chloe said, grabbing her car keys and heading out of the door.

* * *

"Stop it," she said, pushing his hands away.

"Why?" He asked, seeming genuinely confused.

"Because I'm with someone," she said. "You saw us last night." She wasn't sure what it is she had with Chloe, but she wasn't about to worry about that right now.

"What? I thought she was just your friend?" Luke asked, running his hand up her arm.

"Well she isn't," Beca said.

"So you're gay?"

"I'm bi, not that it matters or is any of your business," Beca said, pushing his hand away again.

"I think it is my business," he said, a hint of anger in his voice.

"Why? Because we fucked a few times you think that gives you a pass for life? No. I don't owe you anything," Beca said, getting angry herself.

"Is this because I made that joke?" Luke said, rolling his eyes. "It was a joke!"

"The joke you made about my deaf son not being able to hear us fuck? That joke?" Beca said, her voice rising. "No, it has nothing to do with that, although that did show me what a dick you are."

"Beca-"

"I would have ended this anyway, as soon as I started seeing Chloe. So that's it, we're done," she said. "And until you can keep your hands off me, I don't think we should work together anymore."

His face went from confusion to anger pretty quickly.

* * *

"Come, on for fuck sake!" Chloe yelled at the red traffic light in front of her. "There is no one else on the damn road, change!"

* * *

"You don't get to pick and choose who you work with," he said, moving towards her again. "In fact, I think we're going to be working together a lot more." He put one hand on her waist, and began unbuttoning her shirt with his other. "And if you want to keep this job," he pushed her back so she hit the bar, "you'll remember who's in charge." He grabbed her wrists and pinned her hands to the bar behind them, one of her hands landing in the broken glass she had been cleaning up.

She hissed in pain as the glass cut her.

"Then I quit," she said, before kneeing him between the legs as hard as she could. "Pig," she spat as she left the bar, pulling her coat around her.

As she got out, she heard a car honk its horn.

"Beca!" Chloe called from the car. "Get in."

"What are you doing here?" Beca asked, climbing into the car before Luke could leave the bar.

"You didn't text me," Chloe said, looking Beca over to see if she was okay.

"So you drove here?" Beca asked, half laughing. Adrenaline was still coursing through her, her hands shaking slightly as she re-buttoned her shit.

"What did he do?" Chloe asked, slamming her foot on the break.

"Jesus," Beca said, jolting forward. "Nothing. He tried... But I think I just ruined his chances of ever being able to have kids."

"Beca, you're bleeding," she said, reaching across to take Beca's cut hand in her own.

"It's fine," Beca said, wincing slightly as Chloe touched it. Beca pulled it back and used a tissue from her pocket to stem the bleeding.

"Look at me," Chloe said, trying to see into Beca's eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Beca said, smiling. "I'm okay."

"I'll drive you home," Chloe said, kissing the top of her head.

"Will you stay?" Beca asked in a much quieter voice. "It's too late for you to drive home. And don't ever repeat this, but I could use a bit of a cuddle."

"Your secret is safe with me," Chloe said, smiling. "Of course I'll stay."

Stacie was asleep on the sofa when Beca and Chloe got back.

She seemed to sense them arrive and jolted awake. She gave them a puzzled look.

"I'll explain tomorrow," Beca said, pulling the blanket from the back of the sofa so it was covering her. "Go back to sleep."

"M'kay," she said. "No having sex, these walls are paper thin."

Chloe giggled before pulling Beca into the bathroom.

She flicked on the light, and held her hand under the faucet, rinsing away the blood. The cuts were quite small, and wouldn't need stitches.

"Do you have any bandages or anything?" Chloe asked.

"First aid box, top of the bathroom cabinet," Beca said. Chloe got the box down and pulled out an antiseptic wipe.

"This will sting a bit," she said, before cleaning the cuts again.

"Mother-fudger," she said, trying not to jerk her hand away.

"You potty mouth," Chloe said, grinning but not looking up from what she was doing.

Beca watched as Chloe tentatively wrapped her hand in the bandage, securing it with a couple of band-aids.

"There, all better," she said, kissing it. "Come on, bed time."

"One sec," she said, peaking her head into Sam's room. He was sleeping, but his night light was on which let Beca know he'd had another bad dream.

Like Stacie, he seemed to sense she was there and shifted in his sleep, before rubbing his eyes and waking up. He put on his glasses as he saw her blurry figure come closer.

She crouched by his bed, sweeping the messy hair from his forehead.

_Is it morning?_

_No, silly. It's still dark._

_What happened to your hand?_

_I cut it on some glass at work._

_Does it hurt?_

_Just a little bit. Did you have a nice night?_

He nodded. _I missed you though. I wish you didn't have to work._

_Well, mommy won't be working on Saturday nights anymore. At least not for a while._

He looked truly ecstatic by this news and shot out of bed, throwing his tiny arms around her. She laughed and squeezed him, before sitting him back in bed.

_Don't get too excited, it's still bed-time._

_Okay, he replied, lying down. I love you._

_I love you too._

He took off his glasses and placed them back on his bedside table.

His stuffed penguin had fallen on the floor, due to the excitement, so she put it back on his bed and adjusted his blankets before kissing him on the forehead. She heard a click behind her and saw Sam had switched off his night-light.

She went into her room to see Chloe in the bed, patting the space beside her. Beca gave her a tired smile before getting changed and climbing in beside her.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" She asked, wrapping her arms around Beca's waist and pulling her closer.

In a tired, almost emotionless voice, Beca spoke of what had happened in the bar. She felt Chloe's grip on her get tighter and tighter as the story went on.

"So I kneed him in the balls, and I quit. I wasn't going to sleep with him for money," Beca said, cringing at the thought.

"I can't believe he did that," Chloe said, furious. "He could have really hurt you."

"I know," Beca said, turning so she could see Chloe. "But it's done now. And as long as I'm careful with money, I should be okay until I can find something new."

"There's no need to worry about that now," Chloe said, kissing her forehead. "Just get some sleep."

"Thank you, by the way," Beca said, closing her eyes as she felt Chloe's hand running through her hair.

"What for?"

"Coming to make sure I was okay. Driving out at 2am," Beca said, sleepily.

"What are girlfriends for?" Chloe asked, the word slipping from her mouth with ease.

Beca smiled.

"Well my girlfriend is the best," she said, before drifting off.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm sorry this has taken so long and I'm sorry it's so short. But I'm building to something, so please bare with me :)**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Chloe asked Beca as she waited outside the classroom to take her sign language test with Aubrey.

"A little nervous," Beca said.

"How can you be nervous? You communicate with a deaf child every day," Chloe said, shaking her head.

"Aubrey kinda hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," Chloe said, with a small laugh. "She's like that with everyone."

"Why can't you do the test?" Beca said, pouting slightly.

"Conflict of interests," Chloe said, kissing away the pout. "And besides, I never do the tests. Aubrey thinks I'm too easy on them."

Fat Amy left the classroom, arms raised in triumph.

"Crushed it," she said. "You're up short-ass."

"Wish me luck," Beca said.

"You don't need it," Chloe replied, kissing her on the cheek. "But good luck anyway."

Needless to say when Beca left the room fifteen minutes later, she was grinning.

"Well?" Chloe asked.

"Passed," she said with a shrug. "100% actually, but I'm not going to brag."

"I should think so," Aubrey said from behind her. "You've been signing for, what, four years? I should hope you'd 100% the beginners course."

Beca's shoulders slumped slightly before Aubrey nudged her.

"I'm kidding," she said with a smile that you could describe as warm. "You've really improved."

"Thanks," Beca said, her smile returning. "Are you still coming over later?" She asked, turning back to Chloe.

"Yep," Chloe said. "I could bring wine? Since we're celebrating."

"Sounds good," Beca said.

* * *

A week later, Beca had another meeting with Gail.

She was convinced her social worker would be proud of her for acing the sign language course and for actually meeting people and socialising with them, but Gail had a grave expression when she arrived at the apartment.

"Hey," Beca said, cautiously as she let her into the living room. "Why do you look like you're about to drop a bad news bomb?"

"I kind of am," she said, sitting down.

"Okay," Beca said, also sitting, "what's going on?"

"Do you know a man by the name of Luke Banks?" Gail asked.

"He was my boss at the bar I used to work at on Saturday nights," Beca said, her hands clenching slightly as she spoke.

"He has contacted my boss," Gail said, pausing. Beca had never seen her look so angry. "He has contacted my boss saying that you are in some... "grotesque" lesbian relationship, which he thinks is damaging to your son. I promise you, these are his words, not mine."

Beca couldn't believe what she was hearing. She felt Sam tugging at her arm and she picked him up, still staring at Gail in shock.

"Why might he have done this?" Gail asked.

"Luke and I... We had a thing. Nothing serious, but I ended it with him when I started dating Chloe. He... He wasn't happy. He tried..." She trailed off, tears springing to her eyes. She shook her head slightly.

"Beca..."

"It doesn't matter. But that's why he's doing this," Beca said. "So, what happens now? I mean, you know there is nothing... grotesque, about my relationship with Chloe, right?"

"Of course I do," Gail said. "But my boss is old fashioned... I've tried to talk him out of it, but he insists on meeting with you, and inspecting the apartment. He's also going to talk to Sam about it. I'm sorry, Beca, he's going to make this difficult for you."

"Why me?" Beca said, tears filling her eyes now. "Why does he have it in for me so badly? I know I messed up when Sam was born, but how can he still be holding it against me?"

"I don't know, Beca," Gail said, wanting more than anything to be able to tell her it was going to be alright. "If I'm being honest, he shouldn't be working with us anymore. His prejudice against single mothers has become ridiculous. But he has a lot of experience and a lot of sway with the board. He's hard to get rid of."

"You told me if I took that stupid class, he would leave me alone," Beca said, furious. "I took the stupid class and things have gotten worse. I didn't mean to fall in love-" the words slipped out of Beca's mouth before she could stop herself. "I didn't mean to fall in love with her," she repeated, in a much softer voice. "I need you to help me fix this, please. I just want to get on with my life."

"Look, you aren't doing anything wrong. So just meet with him, be polite, don't rise to anything he might say, and you'll be okay. I'll be there the whole time. It'll be okay," she said. "You're a fantastic mother, and nothing will change that."

"Can you promise me this will be okay?" Beca asked, looking at her dead in the eyes.

Gail sighed. "No," she said. "I can't."

After Gail left, Beca called Chloe to explain the situation. When she hung up, she just stayed sitting on the sofa, staring blankly ahead.

Sam watched her, unsure what had happened to make her upset. He walked up to her before tugging on her sleeve.

_What made you sad?_

She wiped her eyes with her hands.

_Boring grown-up stuff._

He sighed, biting his lip as he thought. _Can I help?_

Something seemed to shift in her heart as she looked at him, desperate to help her, looking eagerly up. He was growing up quicker than she'd realised.

_You could give me a hug?_

He nodded eagerly, climbing onto her lap and hugging her as tight as he could.

"I love you mommy," he said, taking her by surprise as he always did when he spoke, his words muffled by her chest. She kissed the top of his head and squeezed him that bit tighter.

After a few minutes there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Beca called. Chloe came in and looked sadly at the tiny brunette on the sofa.

"Hey," she said, sitting on the sofa, and letting Beca lean into her. Chloe put her arms around them, pulling them both into a hug. "It's going to be okay," she said.

Beca closed her eyes, allowing herself to be taken care of. Soon she'd have to be in control again, but right now, she didn't have the energy.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Things are going to get a bit rough kiddos**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

Beca waited apprehensively for the head social worker to arrive. She had scrubbed every inch of the apartment clean, stocked up her fridge and made sure Sam had cleaned up after playing outside.

She picked up her phone and re-read the text Chloe had sent her an hour before.

**Chloe: Everything will be fine. You got this :) xxx**

She smiled as she read it over again.

The knock at the door pulled her away from her phone. She quickly smoothed out the creases in her shirt and hurried to answer the door.

She stepped aside to let two men in. Both were wearing crumpled brown suits with sweat stains. Who are these men to judge how I raise my kid? Beca thought as she showed them in.

"I thought Gail was going to be here," Beca said, realising that the two men were without her.

"She was called away to another job, so I have my colleague Mr Bell with me to translate," he said. "I'm Mr Bentley, but please call me Brian." He held out his hand and she shook it. She wanted to ask why he had been watching her so closely, and what he had against her, but she bit back the response.

Gail had told her to be polite, and not talk back.

She felt something gripping her leg and looked down to see Sam was clutching her tightly.

_It's okay buddy_, she signed to him.

"Hello Sam," Brian said, his voice raised. "Nice. To. Meet. You." He spoke as if each word was its own sentence.

Sam pulled a face before signing,_ I'm deaf, not stupid._

Beca almost choked on the laugh she tried to hold in. She managed to turn it into an unconvincing cough.

"Okay, I'm going to ask you some questions while Mr Bell looks around, then we will be talking to Sam in private," Brian said, sitting on one of the chairs in the living room.

"Why in private?" Beca asked, looking nervously at the smaller of the two men who was looking at the pictures and books on one of the bookcases in the room.

"Because we don't want him to feel like he's being influenced by you when he answers," Brian said.

Brian then began asking her questions. He asked her about her work life, home life, how Sam was at school. Then he asked about her relationships with Luke and Chloe, getting a lot more personal that she'd anticipated.

She could feel her temper rising as he asked again if she thought a lesbian relationship was appropriate to display in front of her young son.

"What is inappropriate about two people being in love?!" She snapped.

Brian gave her a stern look. "I think it's time to do the interview with your son now. Would you rather we went into his room, or would you like to step out?"

"I'll step out," she said. "One second, he doesn't like strangers, I'll have to talk to him first."

She stood and placed a hand on his arm before crouching in front of him.

_These men want to ask you some questions, okay Sammy? I'll just be in my room so if you need me, just come and get me._

_Why do they want to ask me questions? Am I in trouble?_

_Of course not, sweetie. They're just making sure I'm looking after you properly._

His brow furrowed and he frowned. _I don't like them._

_It'll all be over soon buddy, okay?_

He nodded and she kissed his forehead before reluctantly leaving him alone.

Sam looked up at the two imposing figures who were sitting on one of the sofas.

_Hello Sam,_ the shorter one signed. _My name is Mr Bell, I'm here to ask you some questions._

_Okay._

He looked at the larger of the two and guessed that he didn't know how to sign.

_Can you tell us who Chloe is?_

_She's my mama's girlfriend._

_Do you like it when she comes to stay here?_

Sam nodded. _She's really nice and my mama smiles a lot more when she's here._

_Does your mom have any other girlfriends?_

Sam shook his head.

The bigger man was starting to look cross. He brought a piece of paper to cover his mouth, hiding it from Sam. The other man nodded as if he was being told something.

_No one else comes to stay here?_

_Only aunt Stacie._

_Who is she?_

_My mommy's friend who looks after me when she has to work._

_And where does she sleep?_

_Sometimes in mommy's room. Sometimes in here._

The bigger man smiled now, and wrote something down on his paper before showing it to the smaller man.

_Thank you Sam, you've been very helpful._

Sam was confused. They didn't ask him any questions about how well he was being looked after. Why did they care so much about Chloe and aunt Stacie?

"Hey," he said, trying to get their attention. They looked at him in surprise.

_My mommy looks after me really well. She's never cross. She never shouts. She always gives me plenty of food._

_Okay. Thank you._

Sam noticed neither of them wrote anything down. He was beginning to get upset and frustrated.

"You're not listening," he said, tears in his eyes. He never liked speaking out loud, because he couldn't judge the volume or how it sounded.

"We are listening, Sam," the first man said, speaking slowly, and opening his mouth wider than he needed to. "You've been a very good boy."

Sam shook his head.

_I have a good mommy. Write it down that I have a good mommy._

The smaller man rolled his eyes slightly before writing something in his book.

_There_, he signed.

Sam stood up and went into Beca's room, closing the door behind him.

Beca had heard his raised voice and saw when he came in that he was upset.

_What happened?_

_They're stupid,_ he signed. _But don't worry. I told them what a good mommy you are and I made him write it down._

_Thanks buddy,_ Beca replied, lifting him onto her lap and squeezing him into a hug. After a minute or so they went back into the living room.

_Mama can I go play in my room?_ he asked, not wanting to be around the two men any longer. Beca nodded and he ran off, closing the bedroom door behind him.

"Sam told us some interesting things," Brian said. "You talked earlier about being in love with this girl Chloe, but we both know that's not the case, don't we Beca?"

"What are you talking about?"

"We know you've had multiple sexual partners here, and we know that Sam is aware of it."

"What?! You actually asked my son about that?!" Beca said, outraged.

"We didn't need to ask, he just told us. Mr Bell, could you read that statement there," Brian said, pointing to a spot on his page.

"Certainly," Mr Bell said. "It says "mommy has a new girlfriend now called Chloe. I like her, but not as much as her other girlfriend who sleeps in her room sometimes called aunt Stacie."

Beca's jaw dropped in shock.

"There's no way he said that," Beca said. "Stacie is like my sister, there has never been anything sexual between us ever."

"Yet she still sleeps in your bed?" Brian asked, pleased that Beca was beginning to show some of her notorious temper. When she was younger she was known for her anger getting the better of her when she talked to social workers.

"She... She's done it a handful of times if it's been too late for her to go home," Beca said.

"Doesn't she live across the hall, Beca?" He asked.

"That's...Yes... But nothing ever happened between us. So we shared a bed, big deal," Beca said, her confidence starting to falter. Of course, in Sam's head, there would be no difference to her sharing her bed with Chloe or Stacie.

"Add this on top of your sexual relationship with Luke Banks, well, things don't look good, do they Beca?" He said. "It is not ideal, is it, for a disabled child to be raised in a household with this kind of sexual promiscuity?"

"But there isn't anything like that," Beca said, feeling sick to her stomach. "I have a steady girlfriend and a best friend who helps me when I need it. I'm a good mother, and Sam is a happy and healthy kid."

"I'm sorry Beca, but we can't allow him to stay in an environment like this," he said.

"You've got to be kidding me," Beca said. Her heart was pounding like crazy.

"We need to start making decisions about where Sam can stay while we figure out what happens next," he said.

"No," Beca said, tears running quickly down her face as she felt her world begin to crumble around her. "No, please, you're not taking my son away because I have a girlfriend. You can't do that. You can't look down on me for being a single mother and then judge me further when I find someone to be with just because they're the same gender as me!"

The two men glanced at each other, looking slightly nervous.

"Actually, we can," Brian said, his voice less than convincing. "You could fight us on this Beca, but we would still need to place Sam with a foster family while the "fight" took place."

She looked between the two men, desperation in her eyes.

This couldn't be happening.

"What... What if I broke up with her?" Beca asked, her voice quiet and broken.

"Which one?"

Beca glared at him. "Chloe. The only one. If... If I break up with Chloe... If I stop seeing her, will you just let us be?"

"That would certainly be a step in the right direction," he said. "And we could table any thoughts about Sam being placed into care, at least for a while."

"Okay," she said, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Then... Then that's what I'll do. Can you both please go away now?"

Mr Bell was looking guilty for the first time as he stood and left. Brian's face was still as stern as it had been.

"We'll speak to you soon, Beca," he said.

They closed the door behind them, and Brian pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

After a few seconds, it was answered.

"Mr Mitchell," Brian said into the phone. "The first part is done. She's going to break up with the girl."

As soon as the door closed, Beca started crying properly.

Sam came out after a few minutes, hesitating at his door, checking both men were gone. He saw Beca crying and he rushed over to her.

_What did they do?_ He asked.

_Nothing_, she replied, trying to control her sobs. _Mommy just has to do something she doesn't want to._

_What?_

_Chloe won't be coming around anymore after today, okay? Mommy isn't allowed to see her._

_Why?_

_It's complicated. I'll explain when you're older._

Sam was confused and upset. He hated those two men more than anything now. He watched his mom pick up her phone and send a text.

Beca's thumb hovered over the send button before she tapped it.

**Beca: Can you come over? We need to talk.**

* * *

**A/N: Stick with me folks. I know this is unrealistic, but please trust I know where I'm going with this**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I got some reviews last chapter saying how that situation would never happen. I hope this chapter sheds some light on things. I was going to spread this out a bit but I think I've proven that I suck at building suspense so I'm going to speed it up a bit**

**Also, I realise that by removing the 'message from your author' chapter of this fic that I've messed up the reviewing. Sorry, my bad! If you want to review but it won't let you, feel free to PM me, message me on tumblr, or just review as a guest :)**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

Chloe was crying as she sat on Beca's couch, the small brunette's hands clasped tightly in hers.

"Beca," she said, "please don't do this."

"I don't want to," Beca said, crying just as hard. "But I can't lose Sam."

"They can't make you do this, this isn't right," Chloe said, needing to wipe her eyes but not wanting to let go of Beca's hands.

"I know," Beca said. "And this is killing me."

"This doesn't have to end," Chloe said.

"He's my son, Chlo'. And as much as I love you, he has to come first," Beca said, not realising what she'd just said.

"You love me?" Chloe ask, her sobs temporarily subsiding.

"I... Yeah. Yeah I do," Beca said. A second later and Chloe's lips were on her, kissing her hungrily, pushing her back into the couch.

Beca gave into it for a minute, kissing back with desperation.

"I can't do this," Beca said, breaking them apart. "This is making it so much harder."

"I love you too, Beca. Please. We could carry on in secret. Anything, I can't lose you," Chloe said, cupping Beca's cheek and wiping away her tears with a sweep of her thumb.

"I can't risk it," Beca said, pulling away. "I'm sorry, Chloe."

Chloe dropped her hand. Beca wasn't looking at her anymore. She had withdrawn into herself and Chloe could see her walls building up.

They sat in a painful silence before Chloe spoke again.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"I don't want it. But there isn't another way."

"I understand," Chloe said, her voice quiet and broken. "If you change your mind, call me."

Beca didn't look up as she heard the door close.

She had never felt like this before. She felt she'd been punched in the stomach. The look on Chloe's face when she told her would be permanently burned into her memory.

She felt sick.

Stacie came into her apartment, Sam cautiously following behind her.

"How did it go?" Stacie ask, having a pretty good idea from the way Beca's makeup had streaked down face.

Sam ran over and climbed onto her lap, hugging her tightly.

"I feel like the worst person alive right now," Beca said, squeezing Sam and kissing the top of his head.

Stacie sat beside her and placed a hand on her back.

"You're gonna get through this, Becs," she said.

"I don't think I am," Beca said. "She's the greatest person I've ever met and I just broke her heart."

"What this guy has asked you to do isn't right," Stacie said.

"He has the power to take my son away, Stace. Whether he's right or wrong, I have to do this," Beca said.

"It's illegal, it's got to be. You should call Gail," Stacie said.

Beca felt anger rise in her at the mention of her name. She was supposed to have been there.

"It's done now," Beca said, sinking back into the sofa. "I just want to try and forget about it."

* * *

The next week was one of the worst of Beca's life.

She wanted to do nothing except curl up in her bed and not move until she felt better.

But she couldn't do that.

Every morning she got out of bed, woke up Sam, and made his breakfast. She showered and dressed for work. Helped him tie his shoes. Held his hand on the way to school and kissed him on the cheek before he ran off into the gates.

She went to work.

She kept the apartment clean.

She carried on.

Gail had so far called her everyday, but Beca cancelled the call as soon as she saw her name on the screen.

It was only when Beca was alone that she allowed herself to fall to pieces. She would lie in bed, openly crying, knowing Sam wouldn't hear.

She missed Chloe more than she could comprehend.

Every night she had to resist calling her up, begging for forgiveness. But she thought of her son sleeping soundly in the next room, and she'd put her phone down.

Sam would lie in bed too, watching the light under the door. When it was bright, Beca was still in the living room. When it was dimmer, she was in her room. When it was off, she was asleep.

He watched the light for what felt like hours one night. He knew she was in her room, but also knew she wasn't sleeping.

He was worried about her. He kept catching her wiping her eyes when she thought he couldn't see. Or just staring off into space.

He climbed out of bed and put on his glasses.

He knocked on her door and waited a few seconds before he reached up and turned the handle.

Beca quickly dried her eyes as Sam climbed up onto her bed.

_Bad dream?_ She asked.

_He shook his head,_ studying her.

_Why are you sad?_ He asked.

_I just miss Chloe._

_Why did she have to go away? Was it those mean men?_

Beca nodded.

_Can't she come back? I won't tell anyone, I promise._

Beca shook her head. _Sorry buddy._

He frowned. _How can I help you not be sad?_

_Just lots of hugs,_ she said, hastily drying her eyes again.

He nodded._ I didn't like those men. They didn't listen to me._

Beca raised her eyebrows. _They didn't?_

_No. And they kept talking to each other behind their hands._

_They shouldn't have done that_, she replied, silently furious.

_Do you want that hug now?_

She nodded and Sam crawled into bed with her.

"It'll be okay mommy," he said, snuggling into her.

* * *

"Well? Is she broken yet?" Mr Mitchell asked, his voice level as he spoke into the phone.

"No," Brian Bentley said, his voice betraying a slight nervousness. "But I'm sure she will."

"She's stubborn," he said. "She's a Mitchell after all." He hung up the phone.

Mr Mitchell had been happy with his daughter and grandson out of his life.

When he found out she'd gotten pregnant at 16, he wasn't even surprised. He knew she'd grow up to embarrassment.

And now, five years later, someone happened to mention her name to him, and he knew she had the potential to embarrass him again.

She was asking around at the university he taught at. Asking about whether her son would be eligible to go there when the time came.

Of course, she was totally unaware that he was even in the same city as her, but he couldn't have people linking them together.

He had to take care of it. Surely she wasn't a fit mother, he'd pondered to himself. It would be easy to orchestrate a situation in which she lost custody of her son. Then, surely she'd crumble and disappear from his life again.

The first stage was done. Now he just had to wait for the cracks to show.

* * *

"Stacie," Gail called, seeing the tall brunette walk out of a store.

"Oh," Stacie said, "hey."

"Beca won't answer my calls, I really need to see her," Gail said.

"I don't think she wants to speak to you," Stacie said. "She's pretty heartbroken thanks to those two idiots she had to meet with."

"Wait, what?" Gail asked, shocked. "What do you mean? She shouldn't have met with anyone. I got a call from Brian, my boss, saying he no longer wants to to have a meeting with Beca."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

"Beca, open up, we need to talk," Gail said, knocking on her door, Stacie standing beside her. The two women had gone straight to Beca's apartment after Gail's revelation.

"Becs, it's Stacie. Come on, open the door," Stacie added.

The door opened and Beca stood there, looking unimpressed.

"Can we come in?" Gail asked. Beca looked between the two before stepping aside and letting them in.

She sat on the sofa and folded her arms, waiting for Gail to start speaking.

"What happened when Brian Bentley came over last week?" She asked.

Beca told her what had happened, her voice catching in her throat as she spoke about having to break up with Chloe.

Gail pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes.

"Beca, I'm so sorry," she said. "This... This shouldn't have happened. Brian contacted me last week saying he no longer wished to have a meeting with you, and that he wouldn't be investigating you anymore. What he's done is illegal. It's totally wrong. Who was the other man who was with him?"

"The one translating? Someone called Mr. Bell," Beca said, still in shock.

She sighed again. "No one by that name works for us. I'm going to speak to Sam about what they asked him, and how they behaved."

Beca just nodded as Gail took Sam to one side and asked him about what had happened.

"I can't believe this," Stacie said.

Beca didn't say anything, she just watched her son explain what had happened. The little crease in his brow as he watched Gail's hands. He would push his glasses up his nose and nodd his understanding before replying. He had known straight away that those men were idiots, and that what they were doing was wrong. Beca knew what they were asking of her wasn't right, but they had the power, or so she thought, to take her son away. So she swallowed what they asked her to swallow. And she'd do it again.

"So, what's going on?" Beca asked when Gail had finished up.

"I don't know why, but Brian seems to have taken it upon himself to break you and Chloe up. This isn't something that has been authorised by social services, or something that we think is even necessary or important. Frankly, as long as Sam is happy and healthy and not in any danger, you can have a relationship with whoever you want. Nothing in the law says that it is okay for Brian to do this. I'm going to find out why it's been done, and I'm going to make sure he resigns for this," Gail said. "I had no idea, Beca. I'm so sorry."

"I broke up with Chloe because he told me to," Beca said, the reality of the situation seeping in. "He said he would take my son away."

"He won't get away with this," Gail said.

"I broke her heart. I just... I fucking ruined this. And now I'm supposed to call her up and be all 'oh hey Chlo', remember me? Well it turns out I am allowed to date you. So how about it?'" Beca said, furious.

"I'm sorry Beca," she said. "I'm going to sort this. I'll be in touch." She left the apartment, pulling her phone out as she went.

"What do I do?" Beca asked Stacie, running a hand through her hair.

"I don't know," Stacie replied.

Sam tugged at her arm.

_Are you allowed to see Chloe again?_ He asked.

_It's complicated, buddy,_ she replied.

_But you like her. And she likes you. It doesn't have to be complicated._

_You're smart, kiddo._ She ruffled his hair.

"I can watch him," Stacie said, smiling slightly. "If you wanted to go see her."

"What if she just slams the door in my face?" Beca said.

"What if she doesn't?" Stacie replied.

* * *

Chloe was sitting in her living room with Aubrey, watching some junk on TV. Her phone sat unused on the coffee table. She had given up checking it every five minutes to see if Beca had text or called.

She was in a world of her own, staring at the TV but not really watching it.

She didn't even register the sound of the buzzer.

"Aubrey Posen," Aubrey said into the intercom.

"Hey," Beca said. Aubrey froze and looked at Chloe who's head had whipped around.

Her heart constricted at the sound of her voice.

"What do you want?" Aubrey asked, sounding less than friendly.

"Can I speak to Chloe, please?" Beca said, her voice shaking with nervousness and the cold from outside.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Aubrey said, "considering the last time you spoke to her she cried for three solid days."

"Aubrey," Chloe scolded, getting up from the sofa.

"I know I screwed up," Beca said. "And I don't deserve to speak to her, but please. I'll stay out here if you want, just let me hear her."

Aubrey looked to Chloe who nodded.

"Is this a good conversation, or a bad one?" Chloe asked.

"A good one," Beca replied. There was something in her voice that hadn't been there when she was speaking to Aubrey.

"Okay," Chloe said, unlocking the door. "Come on up."

Beca arrived at the apartment door a few minutes later, out of breath.

"Did you run up the stairs?" Chloe asked, trying not to smile at the disheveled Beca in front of her.

"Yeah," she said, panting slightly.

"We have an elevator you know," Chloe said, stepping aside to let her in.

"What? For serious?" Beca asked, clutching the stitch in her side.

Chloe nodded, still trying not to smile.

"Oh well, live and learn," she said, straightening up.

"Come on, we can go through here and talk," Chloe said, avoiding the look on Aubrey's face as she lead the brunette into her bedroom.

Beca perched on the edge of her chair while Chloe sat cross-legged on the bed.

"I'm so sorry," Beca said.

"Sorry for what?" Chloe asked, playing with the frayed edge of the throw on the edge of her bed.

"Sorry for swallowing what they told me so easily. I was scared. And I shouldn't have just pushed you aside without fighting for you. That won't happen again, Chlo'," Beca said.

"So what's changed?" Chloe asked, looking up with tears in her eyes.

"What they asked me to do... It was illegal. They didn't do it on behalf of social services, they did it for themselves. And I don't know why yet, but Gail is going to figure it out. I should have questioned them. I should have fought. And I'm an idiot," Beca said. She got up from the chair and sat in front of Chloe, taking her hands. "I love you."

"I love you too," Chloe said. "But I can't pretend this didn't hurt me, Beca."

"I know," Beca said. "And you have every right to kick me out of here right now and never want to see me again. But I think we've got something special." She tucked a strand of hair behind Chloe's ear.

Chloe closed her eyes at the contact.

"I will do anything for my son. Anything. And that will never change. And I never thought I could love someone as much as I loved him. Then you came along. And I know I've let you down, and it kills me that I hurt you. But I promise, I will do everything I can not to let that happen again. I'll do anything for you Chlo'," she said.

There were parts of Chloe that told her stop when she leaned forward to capture Beca's lips in a kiss. Parts that told her to take her time. Think about things. Not forgive her so easily.

But she had missed her so much. Missed Sam so much. Missed the feeling of being loved and almost part of a family.

She knew they had a long way to go, but as she felt Beca break the kiss before pulling her into her arms, she knew she'd made the right decision.

"I love you so much," Beca said softly, closing her eyes as she held her tightly.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Suuuuuuper sorry this took so long, and that its not longer. I'm getting major writer's block with this fic.**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

They left Chloe's apartment not long after, their hands linked. As they walked towards the front door, Aubrey's hand closed around Beca's upper arm, pulling her back.

"Hurt her again, and it won't end well for you," she said, a fierce look in her eyes.

"I won't," Beca said, sincerely. Aubrey removed her hand, and the two women left the apartment.

As they walked through the door of Beca's place, they heard Sam almost squeal with delight at the sight of Chloe again. He ran up to her and wrapped his arms around her legs, squeezing her.

She laughed, slightly taken aback by his excitement.

_I missed you,_ he signed, grinning.

_I missed you too_, she replied, ruffling his hair. Beca felt her heart warm as she watched interaction.

"Okay love birds," Stacie said, standing. "I'll see you later."

_Chloe will you draw with me?_ Sam asked.

_I'd love to,_ Chloe replied.

"Hey," Stacie said softly on her way out. Beca looked at her. "She's really great. Don't let her get away this time."

"I won't," Beca said, for the second time that night.

* * *

"So what you're saying is, that your plan has failed monumentally?" Mr Mitchell said to the two men standing in front of him.

It was a week after Beca had reunited with Chloe and Brian was being forced to resign.

"That social worker Gail got wind of it," Brian said.

"You didn't plan for this?" He asked.

"We didn't think Beca would turn to her. Obviously that was an oversight," he said. Mr Mitchell rolled his eyes.

"You're an idiot. And if you think you're getting paid for this you can think again. Now, is there anything else you need to tell me?" He asked, already trying to think of a new plan to drive his daughter away.

"Actually, there is," he said. "It's been linked back to you sir."

Mr Mitchell sighed. "Get out," he said.

The two men didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

Beca was pacing her living room, the eyes of Sam, Chloe and Stacie following her as she went.

"I can't believe him," she said, furious. "He leaves me when I'm 10 years old with an alcoholic mother. Refuses to take me in when I give birth and instead throws money at me to keep me away, and now this? What did I do to him to deserve that?"

"I don't know Becs," Chloe said, soothingly. "He's clearly a jerk."

"I think you should go confront him," Stacie said.

"Yeah right," Beca said, rolling her eyes.

"No, I'm serious. You need to go to that college and rip him a new one. He needs to know you're not going to be flattened by him," Stacie said.

"Actually, that's a really good idea," Chloe said. "And I think you should take Sam with you, so he knows who he's trying to hurt."

Beca sat down and looked at her son, who was trying to follow what was going on.

_What do you think, Sammy? Should I go stand up to a bully?_ She asked.

He nodded. _I'll come too mommy. Bullies are bad._

* * *

"Mr. Mitchell, there's a young girl outside who said she wants to speak with you," his secretary said.

"Is she a student?" He asked, not looking up from his work.

"I don't think so, sir. She has a child with her," she said.

His eyes snapped up. "Send her in," he said.

"Hi dad," Beca said as the office door closed behind her.

"Beca," he said, folding his arms.

"This is your grandson, Sam," she said. "I wanted you to meet the person who's life you seem intent on destroying."

_Hello_, Sam signed.

Mr Mitchell, glanced up to Beca.

"He's saying hello," Beca said, still staring at her dad with undisguised hatred. "I just came to tell you to leave us alone. I don't know why you felt you suddenly had to interfere with my life, and I don't care why. I just want you out of it."

"In that case, will you please not bother the staff of this university by inquiring as to whether your five-year-old son will be able to attend," he said.

"I was asking how they accommodate deaf kids, dad," she said, her voice biting. "Sam is incredibly smart and I want him to go to a good college."

"He's smart?" He asked, his eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Yes, sir, I am," Sam said, reading the man's lips.

Mr Mitchell was slightly taken aback by this, and sat back in his chair.

"I must admit, I wasn't expecting this," he said.

"Why?" Beca asked, squeezing her son's hand slightly. "Just because you and mom were the worst parents ever doesn't mean I am." Sam tugged her hand and she looked down at him.

_Is he my grandpa?_

Beca hesitated. _Technically_, she replied.

_Am I supposed to like him?_

He had watched people speak about grandparents before. They always described them as old and warm and friendly. This man was nothing like that, not to mention he'd made his mom so upset.

_No. You don't have to like him._

Sam nodded and went back to looking at Mr Mitchell with mistrust.

"He doesn't like you," she said, turning back to her dad. "And I don't blame him. So just stay out of our lives, okay? If you don't, I'll tell everyone what an evil dickhead my dad is, and your whole reputation here will be ruined."

"And I'm sure they take the word of a 21-year-old single mother very seriously," he said, smirking slightly.

"Or I could just go to the press and tell them what you did. But you're right, people never believe things written in the press, do they?" She said.

His face darkened slightly.

"Fine," he said. "I'll keep out of your life, if you keep out of mine."

"I never wanted to be in your life," she said. "I never wanted anything to do with you. As far as I'm concerned, you aren't my dad."

And with that she left, Sam still holding tightly to her hand as they walked out of the office and out onto the college campus.

Beca was still so angry she wasn't paying attention to where she was going, and she bumped into one of the students.

"Sorry," she said.

"No problem," he replied.

His voice was so familiar to her, it hit her like a slap to the face. Her eyes widened as she looked at him.

"Jesse!"

"Beca!" He said, his eyes equally as wide, only his were shot with fear. His eyes fell on the small boy clutching her hand. "Holy crap," he said, backing up slightly. "Is that-"

"Not now," Beca said quickly. "We're not doing this here, or now."

"Wait," Jesse said. "We have to talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about," Beca said, frustrated at the tears that had begun stinging her eyes. His were fixed on the familiar brown eyes of the little boy.

"Beca... Is he..."

"Yes," Beca said. "This is your son."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its character**

* * *

Sam was clutching Beca's leg, trying his best to hide behind her.

He didn't know who this boy was but he felt how uncomfortable his mom was, and he had just started pacing in a circle, his hands on his head as his lips moved quickly.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit," Jesse kept saying. "I don't mean to swear in front of the kid, but shit."

"He can't hear you anyway," Beca said, feeling Sam's grip on her tighten, "he's deaf."

Jesse stopped pacing and looked down at him. The little boy retreated further.

"Look, we need to go and talk about this properly, but not in front of Sam. I don't want him to find out this way," Beca said.

"Sam?" Jesse said, the hint of a smile in his voice.

"Yeah," Beca said. She was finding it hard to smile. She could still see the terrified 16 year-old-boy who had abandoned her five years ago. Leaving her to raise their son alone. "I'll take him home, see if my girlfriend can watch him or something and then we should talk."

"Okay," Jesse said, his eyes widening at the sound of the world girlfriend. "Um, here, take my number. Call with when and where you want to meet and I'll be there." He reached into his bag and scribbled his number on a scrap of paper before handing it to her.

"Thanks," Beca said.

"I have to go, I need to get to work," he said. He looked like he wanted to bolt again, so Beca just nodded, and he left. "It was nice to see you again," he said. Beca nodded again, but didn't speak.

She crouched by Sam.

_Okay buddy?_

_Who was that boy?_

_I'll explain it all later._

He frowned. She kissed his forehead.

_Come on,_ she signed. _Let's go home._

* * *

"Hey, Jesse, it's Beca," Beca said into the phone, the eyes of Chloe and Stacie on her. "Can we meet in an hour at Starbucks? Okay, see you then."

"What are you going to say to him?" Stacie asked.

"I don't know," Beca said, sinking into the chair beside Chloe, letting the redhead put her arm around her. "I've been planning what I'd say to him ever since he left. I thought as soon as I saw him I'd rip him a new one."

"You've just matured, that's all," Chloe said.

Beca looked over to Sam who was still sulking. He wasn't used to his mom not telling him things, and he didn't like it.

She held out her hand to him, hoping he would come and take it.

He didn't, he folded his arms across his chest and turned away from her.

Beca sighed and put her head in her hands. Chloe rubbed a hand up and down her back.

"This sucks," she mumbled.

"I know," Chloe replied.

Sam chewed his bottom lip watching. He walked over and climbed up onto Beca's lap, hugging her.

She held him for a few minutes before setting him back down on the floor.

_I know you don't like it when you don't know what's going on,_ she signed. _But I promise I'll explain it all tonight._

_Okay mommy,_ he replied. _Sorry for being grumpy._

_That's okay buddy. I have to go out for a bit, will you look after Chloe for me?_

He nodded, grinning.

_Good boy,_ she said, kissing the top of his head. _Love you._

_Love you too._

"I'll see you in a little bit," Beca said, kissing Chloe.

Stacie left with her, walking with her for most of the journey before turning off and going to work.

"Good luck, Becs," she said.

"Thanks," Beca replied.

She got to the Starbucks to find Jesse already sitting there, two coffees on the table.

"Hey," he said, putting away the book he was reading.

"Anything good?" She asked, nodding to the book.

"Just stuff for college. It's almost finals week so I have to start cramming," he said.

"What are you studying?" She asked. He seemed so much younger than she did. He was still practically a kid, she thought.

"Music tech," he replied.

"Oh so you're still into music? You wanted to score movies, right?" She asked, remember the way his face would light up as they watched a well scored movie when they were dating.

"Yeah, that's still want I want to do," he said, happy that she remembered. "Are you still making music?"

"No," she replied. "I've spent the last five years bringing up a kid on my own so... you know, hobbies have to take a back seat."

His smile dropped as he shifted guiltily in his seat.

"I'm so sorry you've had to do this alone, Beca," he said. "I was just so scared when you told me an-"

"You were scared?! Jesse, I was sixteen and I had no one! I had no money, no stable home and you just left! I didn't have the option of running away," Beca said, fighting to keep her voice steady.

"I didn't have a choice! You remember my parents, they were jerks! I told them I wanted to stay and be with you but they wouldn't let me," he said.

"Do you remember my parents? Or lack of? You left me there to raise our kid in that home. You could have taken me with you!" Beca said, realising as she spoke what she'd been the most upset about over these five years. It wasn't just that he'd left. It was that he hadn't taken her with him.

"I wanted to, Beca," he said. "I begged them. I'm so sorry. I could have done more to find you, I know that. But I was too scared. I wasn't ready to be a dad."

"And what about now? Are you ready to step up and be a dad now? Because I gotta say Jesse, until you're ready, I can't let you into Sam's life. He's happy and he's stable and I don't want to disrupt that if you're just going to leave again," she said. "I want you to take time to think about it."

"Okay," he said, sitting back in his chair. "That's fair. But I do want to be a part of his life. I've thought about you both every day for the last five years. I don't want to mess this up."

"Like I said, I want you to think about it. I'm going to speak with my social worker, and explain to Sam what's happened," she said. She paused before standing up. "Do you have a pen and some paper?" He took some out of his bag and slid them across the table to her. She scribbled some information down on it before sliding it back. "These girls do a really good sign language course. One of them is my girlfriend. You're going to need to learn it if you're serious about this."

"I promise I'm serious, Beca," he said, putting the paper back into his bag. "I won't let you down."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Apologies again for the delay on this.**

**Also, there probably won't be an update for the next 9 days or so as I'm on holiday. (I'm not leaving my house but my buddy is coming to stay so I will kinda be on holiday :P)**

**Anyway, thank you for sticking with me through my slow updating, you guys are the best :)**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

"Are you going to talk to Sam tonight?" Chloe asked as she helped Beca clean up after dinner.

"Yeah, I think I have to," she said. "Being kept in the dark really stresses him out."

"It makes sense," Chloe said. "Why don't you go and see him and I'll finish up here."

"Thanks," Beca said, kissing her on the cheek.

Beca went into Sam's room, waiting for him to return from brushing his teeth in bathroom.

He came back in, smiling as he jumped onto his bed.

He saw the slightly serious on her face and his smile slipped.

_You want me to tell you what's been going on, buddy?_

He nodded.

_Okay_. She sat on his bed facing him as she tried to think of how to phrase this.

_Do you remember that boy I met after we saw your grandpa?_

He nodded again.

_Well, he's your dad._

Sam blinked, and ruffled his hair slightly.

_My dad?_

He seemed genuinely thrown. His eyes kept darting around the room and they looked like they were filling with tears. Beca placed a hand on his arm.

_Hey, you're okay. Mommy still loves you more than anything. And you still have Chloe and aunt Stacie. But now there's someone new who wants to get to know you and love you. And I know you must be scared but he is too, and I'll be here with you the whole time._

_You promise?_

_I promise. You wanna have a little cuddle?_

He nodded and scooted over so he was sitting in her lap. She heard him sniff and bury his head into her chest.

_When will I see him again?_

_Not for a little bit yet. He has some tests at college, and I thought maybe you me and Chloe could take a little vacation first, what do you think? We could go to the beach?_

His face lit up.

_I love the beach. And Chloe will be there too?_

_She sure will buddy,_ Beca replied laughing. She tucked him into bed and kissed his forehead._ You're being very grown up about this. I'm really proud of you. Love you._

"Love you too," he said back, before taking off his glasses and turning away.

"How did it go?" Chloe asked when Beca returned, looking emotionally drained.

"I swear, nothing phases that kid," she said, dropping onto the sofa beside her. "He's just so calm and logical."

"He's amazing, just like his mom," Chloe said. "Did you talk to him about the vacation?"

"He seemed really excited," Beca said.

"So am I," Chloe said, smiling.

"It's really nice of Aubrey to let us use her dad's beach house," Beca said as they went and changed for bed.

"You sound surprised," Chloe said, smiling.

"You've met Aubrey, right?" Beca said, smirking herself.

"She's a sweetheart, really," Chloe replied. "I'm really glad it all went well with Sam."

"Me too," Beca said, crawling into bed next to Chloe.

Sam still wasn't sleeping. He watched as the light under his door went out before turning to lie on his back, staring up at the blurry, glow-in-the-dark stars that were stuck to his ceiling.

He had a dad now. Finally.

He didn't really know how to feel.

He'd only ever asked about his dad once, after coming home from his first day at school.

He was aware that they existed but had never wondered why he didn't have one. People had kept asking him about his dad, and he kept replying that he didn't have one, with increasing confusion.

That night after dinner, he asked his mom, in his broken sign language, why he didn't have one.

Beca had sighed. She rubbed her forehead and ran a hand through her hair.

_Your dad was my boyfriend at high school. And he got scared when I found out we were going to have you. I'm sorry, buddy, I don't know where he is._

Sam had nodded and never pushed the issue again.

The way he saw it, he had never needed his dad before, so why should it bother him? Plus he saw how upset the question had made his mom, and he didn't want to do that again. He felt like he needed to look after her because she had no one else.

Now he was about to meet his dad, he didn't know if he was excited or scared.

* * *

They were half way through their vacation, building sandcastles on the beach when Beca got a phone call from Gail.

"Hey Beca," she said. "Sorry to interrupt your vacation, but I've been in touch with Jesse."

"And?" Beca said, standing and moving away from Chloe and Sam.

"He says he is ready to commit to being Sam's dad. He wants to be a part of his life but says that he will do everything on your terms. He's even signed up for those sign language classes," Gail said. "Call me when you get back and we can organise the first meeting?"

"Yeah, okay," Beca said, slightly stunned. She had half expected Jesse to bail. She thought after he'd had time to think about it, he'd run for the hills again. She was also surprised at how happy she felt. She had felt a lot of guilt over the years because Sam had grown up without a dad or a single male role-model. She just hoped her son had a better relationship with his dad than she'd had with her own.

Before returning to Sam and Chloe she took a second to watch them.

Sam was piling sand into his bucket, his tongue sticking out in concentration. Chloe pushed the hair from his face affectionately, and a small smile crept across his face.

Beca smiled at her family.

_Family_.

The word jumped into her head before she could stop herself thinking it.

She thought it would freak her out, but it didn't. It made her happier than she ever thought she could be.

"Quit being a creep and come and help us with these sandcastles," Chloe called out to her. Beca smiled and joined them.

_Good job, buddy,_ Beca signed as Sam placed shells on the tops of his castles.

"Everything okay?" Chloe asked, referring to the phone call.

"Apparently, Jesse is fully committed to this. He wants to be his dad," Beca said.

"Well that's good, right?" Chloe said.

"Yeah," Beca said. "It's great. I just don't want Sam to get let down."

"I know," Chloe said. "I don't either. And I'll totally kick his butt if he does."

"You're so bad-ass," Beca said, grinning.

"You know it," Chloe replied, with a wink.

* * *

Sam was clinging to Beca's leg again as Jesse walked into their living room.

"Strangers make him nervous," Beca said, as Jesse took a seat.

Jesse nodded, his eyes still fixed on his son's.

_Hello Sam,_ he signed, a little clumsily. Sam looked up at Beca who nodded.

_Hi_, he replied, _dad._


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Okay, a few things to get through first!**

**1) I am so sorry it has been so long. It took me a while to get back into the swing of things after my holiday. I'd forgotten how tired work makes me.**

**2) This will be the last chapter of this fic. I am sorry it's so short and that the fic itself is only 16 chapters, but this feels like the natural progression of this story. I don't like stretching out things that don't need to be stretched out, and I don't like adding drama for the sake of it. So I'm sorry if you don't think this is a very good ending, but it's the best I could do.**

**Never fear, however, I have a few more in the pipeline! :D**

**I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters**

* * *

_**One Year Later**_

Sam was walking happily between his parents. Both of his hands taken up by one of theirs. Every so often they would pick him up and swing him between them, and he'd laugh as he was hoisted into the air before he gently landed.

Beca smiled every time her son's laughter reached her ears.

It was the most perfect sound in the world.

Sam kept looking between them, hoping they'd swing him again.

The obliged and he was off in the air again.

"What time are we taking him to Jesse's?" Chloe asked, smiling at the giggling boy between them.

"Fiveish I think," Beca replied, pulling out her phone to double check the arrangements. "Yeah. Around five." Beca frowned slightly.

Weekends at Jesse's had started a few months ago.

She was happy her son was getting to spend time with his dad.

Jesse had really matured in the last year, and was excellent with Sam.

His sign language was strong and the two got on like a house on fire.

But Beca couldn't deny that packing her little boy off for the weekend was painful. Sunday's used to be their day to do whatever they wanted with, and now it was Jesse's day.

She missed having him around.

She remembers when she used to be so tired after a week of work and single-parenting that she could barely open her eyes on Saturday mornings. The thought of getting up seemed impossible.

Then Sam would come running in and crawl underneath the duvet with her, and everything would feel right again.

She missed that.

Not that she didn't love waking up next to Chloe in the morning.

That was its own kind of perfection.

"Hey," Chloe said, pulling her from her thoughts. "You okay there?"

"Yeah," Beca said, smiling again as they reached the playground.

_Can I go play, mom?_ Sam asked Chloe. She smiled and nodded, ruffling his hair.

"I still can't believe he calls me that," Chloe said, her hand resting on Beca's as they watched Sam play.

"He loves you," Beca said. She interlinked their fingers and gave Chloe's hand a squeeze.

"It's okay to miss him at weekends," Chloe said, squeezing back.

"Yeah, I know," Beca said. "Jesse is a great dad, and Sam loves him, but I do miss those little moments we had."

"Of course you do," Chloe said. "It's only natural."

"So you won't get mad if I mope around the house all weekend?" Beca asked, smirking slightly.

"You don't have time for moping," Chloe said. "We've got a wedding to plan."

"We sure do," Beca said, her thumb brushing across Chloe's engagement ring.

* * *

A few hours later, they dropped Sam off at Jesse's. His roommate Benji greeted them all with a friendly wave.

_Okay buddy,_ Beca said, handing over his small rug-sack. _Be good. I'll see you Monday. Love you._

_Love you too, mommy,_ he signed back, kissing her and then Chloe before running off to see Benji's latest magic trick.

Beca still remembered when Benji was introduced to Sam as 'his dad's friend', which prompted Sam to reply with, _is he your friend like how mommy and Chloe are friends?_

Jesse had visibly paled and Beca had almost punctured a lung from laughing so hard.

"Any problems, call me," Beca said.

"I know Becs," Jesse said, smiling and rolling his eyes slightly. "Hey, you guys should come to the park with us on Sunday."

"Yeah okay," Beca said. "That could be fun. See you then."

* * *

Sam was excited to see Beca and Chloe when they arrived at the park the next morning.

_Mommies! What are you doing here?_

_We've come to play, if that's alright?_ Chloe signed, laughing slightly.

Sam nodded.

Jesse tossed Beca a football, who caught it and threw it back to him. He then dropped it.

"Smooth," Beca said, laughing. "Why do you even own a football, you're terrible at sports."

"Thought I should probably teach my boy how to throw a ball," he said.

"I mean, you'd need to learn yourself first," Beca said.

"And what makes you think he can't throw?" Chloe said.

"Well... You know... There hasn't been a man in his life until now," Jesse said, smirking slightly.

"Dude, you're an idiot," Beca said, laughing. "Give me the ball." He tossed it to her.

_Sammy_, Beca signed, crouching by him, the ball at their feet._ I need you to throw this at your dad the way I taught you, okay?_

He nodded and picked up the ball, before throwing it with so much force that it struck Jesse in the stomach and almost winded him.

"Maybe Sam should teach me how to throw," he said, groaning slightly.

* * *

"What are you thinking?" Chloe asked Beca that night, as they lay in bed together. Beca's head resting on her chest as she lazily traced patterns on the redhead's exposed hip.

"Just how glad I am that Gail made me take those sign language classes," she said, smiling.

"Yeah," Chloe said. "Me too."


End file.
